Refrigerator and control method for refrigerator and method for opening a refrigerator door

ABSTRACT

Provided is a refrigerator and control method for refrigerator and method for opening a refrigerator door. While a user is holding an object in both hands, a door may be automatically and additionally opened using another part of a body other than hands.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/532,766, filed on Jun. 2, 2017, which is a U.S. National PhaseApplication under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International ApplicationPCT/KR2016/004426, filed on Apr. 27, 2016, which claims the benefit ofKorean Application No. 10-2015-0058952, filed on Apr. 27, 2015, KoreanApplication No. 10-2016-0001259, filed on Jan. 5, 2016, and KoreanApplication No. 10-2016-0001260, filed on Jan. 5, 2016. The disclosuresof the prior applications are incorporated by reference in theirentirety.

BACKGROUND

A refrigerator and control method for refrigerator and method foropening a refrigerator door are disclosed herein.

Generally, a refrigerator is a home appliance which stores food at a lowtemperature in a storage space formed therein to be opened and closed bya door. To this end, the refrigerator may be formed to cool an inside ofthe storage space using cooling air generated through heat exchange witha refrigerant circulated in a refrigeration cycle, and thus to keep thestored food in an optimum state.

Recent refrigerators have tended to become bigger and havemulti-functions according to a change in diet and a tendency towardhigh-quality of a product. And the refrigerators which have variousdevices for convenience to enhance user convenience have been released.

The storage space of the refrigerator may be opened and closed by adoor. And typically, the door has a gasket to prevent a leak of coolingair while the door is closed, and a greater adhesion between the gasketand a cabinet tends to decrease the leaking of cool air.

Therefore, to increase the adhesion of the gasket, there is provided astructure in which a magnet is provided inside the gasket, and thegasket becomes in close contact with the cabinet formed of a steelmaterial when the door is closed.

Meanwhile, in the case in which the gasket is in close contact with thecabinet using the magnet, when the door is opened, a force correspondingto a magnetic force is further required due to the magnetic force, andsince a user should open the door with a greater force, there isinconvenience in use.

To solve the problem, there are various door opening devices whichassists opening of the door, and a refrigerator in which the dooropening device is driven by a user's operation to enable the user toopen the door with less force has been developed.

In Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2011-0040030, there is disclosed astructure in which a door handle is provided at a refrigerator door, andan operating part is provided at the door handle, and a door openingdevice provided at a cabinet is operated when a user operates theoperating part, and thus the door is pushed and opened.

However, in the refrigerator having such a structure, since a positionwhich is pushed to open the door is distant from a hinge shaft, there isa problem that a length of a rod is very long when the door is opened.

And since the operating part of the door handle should be operated toopen the door, there is another problem that it may be impossible tooperate the operating part when the user is holding an object and maynot use both hands.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

The present disclosure is directed to providing a refrigerator whosedoor is automatically opened in a state in which a user is holding anobject in both hands using a part of the user's body instead of thehands, and a control method for the refrigerator.

Also, the present disclosure is directed to providing a refrigerator inwhich an image for inducing a user's operation is projected at aposition close to the refrigerator and the user operates a correspondingarea and thus the door is automatically opened, and a control method forthe refrigerator.

Also, the present disclosure is directed to providing a refrigeratorwhich is able to enhance reliability in projecting of an image forautomatically opening the door and sensing of a user's operation, and acontrol method for the refrigerator.

Also, the present disclosure is directed to providing a refrigeratorwhich enables an image recognizable by a user to be projected on abottom surface in front of the refrigerator.

Also, the present disclosure is directed to providing a refrigeratorwhich is able to efficiently use an internal space of the door due to asensing assembly having a compact configuration.

Also, the present disclosure is directed to providing a refrigerator inwhich a projector and a detection device are formed in one module, andthus productivity and assemblability are enhanced.

Also, the present disclosure is directed to providing a refrigeratorwhich enhances a recognition rate of a user's operation and prevents thedoor from being opened due to misrecognition.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present disclosure provides a refrigerator including acabinet configured to form a storage space; a door configured to openand close the storage space; a sensing assembly provided at one side ofthe door, and configured to sense a user's operation; and a door openingdevice provided at the door, driven when the sensing assembly isoperated, and configured to open the door, wherein the sensing assemblyincludes a projector which projects a predetermined image on a bottomsurface at which the refrigerator may be installed; and a detectiondevice which emits light to an area of the image formed on the bottomsurface by the projector, and senses the user's operation.

The sensing assembly may be formed in a module type in which theprojector and the detection device are accommodated in an integratedcase.

The detection device may be provided at an upper side of the projector.

The sensing assembly may be installed at an inclined surface which isformed at a lower end of the door to be inclined toward the bottomsurface.

A lower decoration which forms a lower surface of the door may be formedat a lower end of the door, and the sensing assembly may be installedand fixed to the lower decoration.

The sensing assembly may include a case which forms an externalappearance, and also forms an accommodation space of the projector andthe detection device, and a case cover which may be formed of a materialthrough which the light is transmitted, shields an opened front surfaceof the case, and is coupled to a front surface of the door.

The case may include a projection part which may be formed at a lowerportion of the case and at which the projector may be installed, and adetection part which may be formed at an upper side of the projectionpart and at which the detection device may be installed, and the casemay be disposed at an inside of the door to be inclined.

A PCB hole which is opened so that the projector and the detectiondevice are exposed to an outside may be formed at a rear surface of thecase.

A hook restriction part which is coupled to a side surface of the caseso as to restrict the case may be formed at a perimeter of the casecover.

A cover fixing hook which is restricted in an installation hole formedat the front surface of the door and enables the sensing assembly to beinstalled and fixed may be formed at a perimeter of the case cover.

A decoration plate which is attached to a front surface of the casecover, formed on the same plane as the front surface of the door, andformed of the same material as that of the front surface of the door maybe provided.

The case may include a first case and a second case which are coupledfrom both sides, and the first case and the second case may be coupledto each other, and the projector and the detection device may beaccommodated therein.

The projector may include an LED PCB on which an LED used as a lightsource is mounted, a film which is provided at a front of the LED PCB sothat light from the LED is transmitted therethrough and on whichcharacters to be projected are formed, and a plurality of lenses whichare provided at a front of the film to adjust a focus such that theimage may be formed on the bottom surface.

A film slot in which the film is inserted may be formed at the case.

The characters formed on the film may be formed so that a width of anupper side thereof is formed larger than that of a lower side thereof.

A ratio of the widths of the upper side and the lower side of thecharacters may be proportional to a slope of the projector with respectto the ground.

The characters formed on the film may be printed on the film.

The detection device may be a position sensing device (PSD) which isable to detect a user's approach position.

The detection device may include a light emitting part which emitsinfrared light to the image formed on the bottom surface; and a lightreceiving part to which the infrared light emitted from the lightemitting part is reflected and then received, and a barrier whichdivides between the light emitting part and an outside of the lightreceiving part may be further formed.

The barrier may be formed at the case in which the detection device isaccommodated.

Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a refrigeratorincluding a cabinet in which a refrigerator compartment is disposed atan upper side thereof, and a freezer compartment is disposed at a lowerside thereof; one pair of refrigerator compartment doors which aredisposed in parallel to open and close the refrigerator compartment; onepair of freezer compartment doors which are disposed in parallel to openand close the freezer compartment; a sensing assembly provided at oneside of the freezer compartment door and configured to sense a user'soperation; and a door opening device provided at the refrigeratorcompartment door, driven when the sensing assembly is operated, andconfigured to open the door, wherein the sensing assembly includes aprojector which projects a predetermined image on a bottom surface atwhich the refrigerator may be installed; and a first detection devicewhich emits light to an area of the image formed on the bottom surfaceby the projector, and senses the user's operation.

A second detection device for detecting a user's approach may beprovided at the refrigerator compartment door disposed at the same sidesurface as that of the freezer compartment door.

The first detection device and the second detection device may bedisposed on the same extension line.

The first detection device and the second detection device may bedisposed at side ends which are distant from hinges of the refrigeratorcompartment door and the freezer compartment door.

A detection distance of the first detection device may be longer thanthat of the second detection device.

The projector may be turned on when a detection signal is detected fromthe second detection device.

The door opening device may be turned on when a detection signal isdetected from both of the first detection device and the seconddetection device.

The sensing assembly may be installed at an inclined surface which maybe formed at a lower end of the freezer compartment to be inclinedtoward the bottom surface, and the sensing assembly may emit light andrays from the inclined surface toward the bottom surface.

A switch magnet which is rotated along with the refrigerator compartmentdoor may be provided at the refrigerator compartment door at which thedoor opening device may be installed, and a reed switch which isselectively switched on and off by the switch magnet according torotation of the refrigerator compartment door may be provided at oneside of the hinge of the refrigerator compartment door which faces theswitch magnet.

The sensing assembly may not be driven while the reed switch is switchedoff.

Still another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method forcontrolling a refrigerator which includes a refrigerator compartmentdoor at which a second detection device is provided, and a freezercompartment door which is provided at a lower side of the refrigeratorcompartment door and at which a projector and a second detection deviceare provided, including recognizing a user's approach by the seconddetection device; turning on the projector when a signal of the seconddetection device is input, and projecting an image for inducing a user'soperation on a bottom surface; recognizing the user's operation at anarea of the image projected on the bottom surface through the firstdetection device; outputting a signal for opening the door when a signalof the first detection device is input; and turning off the projector.

A door opening device which is driven when the signal for opening thedoor is output, and pushes the cabinet, and opens the door may beprovided at one side of the refrigerator compartment door.

A switch magnet may be provided at the refrigerator compartment door,and a reed switch which is switched on and off by the switch magnetaccording to rotation of the refrigerator compartment door may beprovided at a hinge of the refrigerator compartment door, and theprojector and the first detection device may be switched off while thereed switch is switched off.

When the first detection device does not sense the user's operation fora set period of time while the projector is turned on, the projector maybe turned off.

Also, a method of opening a door of a refrigerator according to animplementation of the present disclosure includes the steps of detectinga person through a second detection device, projecting an opticalpattern through a sensing assembly on a bottom surface at which therefrigerator is placed, determining whether or not the first detectiondevice detects a door opening signal before a reference time passes froma time when the second detection device detects the person or theoptical pattern is projected, and opening the door of the refrigeratorthrough a door opening device if it is determined that the firstdetection device detects the door opening signal.

Also, a virtual switch may be generated on the bottom surface byprojecting an optical pattern, and the door opening signal may be one ofwhich a person places a foot at an upward portion of the virtual switchand the person moves the foot at the upward portion of the virtualswitch in a predetermined manner.

Further, the door opening device may open the door of the refrigeratorwhen the first detection device detects the door opening signal whilethe second detection device is continuously detecting a person.

Furthermore, the method may further include the step of terminating theprojecting of an optical pattern through the sensing assembly if thefirst detection device does not detect the door opening signal until thereference time passes from the time when the second detection devicedetects a person or the optical pattern is projected.

Also, the method may further include the step of terminating theprojecting of an optical pattern through the sensing assembly if thesecond detection device does not detect a person before the referencetime passes while the second detection device has detected the personand thus the optical pattern is being projected through the sensingassembly.

Still yet another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method ofopening a door of a refrigerator including the steps of detecting aperson through a second detection device, projecting one or more opticalpatterns through one or more sensing assemblies on a bottom surface atwhich the refrigerator is placed, determining whether or not a firstdetection device detects a door opening signal for opening one or moredoors among a plurality of doors, and opening the one or more doorsamong the plurality of doors through a door opening device if it isdetermined that the first detection device detects the door openingsignal.

Also, the step of projecting one or more optical patterns may includeprojecting a plurality of optical patterns through one sensing assembly,wherein the plurality of optical patterns may form a plurality ofvirtual switches on the bottom surface, and the one or more doorscorresponding to one or more occluded virtual switches among theplurality of virtual switches may be opened.

Further, the step of projecting one or more optical patterns may includeprojecting a plurality of optical patterns through a plurality ofsensing assemblies, wherein the plurality of optical patterns may form aplurality of virtual switches on the bottom surface, and the one or moredoors corresponding to one or more occluded virtual switches among theplurality of virtual switches may be opened.

Furthermore, the step of projecting one or more optical patterns mayinclude projecting one optical pattern through a sensing assembly,wherein the one optical pattern may form a virtual switch on the bottomsurface, and a door to be opened among the plurality of doors may bedetermined depending on an occlusion pattern of the virtual switch.

Also, the step of detecting a person through the second detection devicemay include detecting the person through one or more second detectiondevices, each of which is provided at two or more doors among theplurality of doors.

Still yet another aspect of the present disclosure provides arefrigerator including a cabinet equipped with a refrigeratorcompartment and a freezer compartment, a plurality of refrigeratorcompartment doors connected to the cabinet, and configured to open andclose the refrigerator compartment, wherein all or some of the pluralityof refrigerator compartment doors include a first door and a seconddoor, a plurality of freezer compartment doors connected to the cabinetand configured to open and close the freezer compartment at downwardportions of the plurality of refrigerator compartment doors, a seconddetection device provided at one or more refrigerator compartment doorsamong the plurality of refrigerator compartment doors and configured todetect a person, a door opening device provided at the one or morerefrigerator compartment doors among the plurality of refrigeratorcompartment doors or the cabinet and configured to have a driving motor,one or more sensing assemblies provided at one or more freezercompartment doors among the plurality of freezer compartment doors andconfigured to project one or more optical patterns, a first detectiondevice configured to detect an occlusion of one or more virtual switchesgenerated by the one or more optical patterns on a bottom surface, and acontroller configured to control the door opening device, wherein thecontroller activates the door opening device to open one or more doorsamong the plurality of refrigerator compartment doors and freezercompartment doors when the first detection device detects the occlusionof the one or more virtual switches.

Still yet another aspect of the present disclosure provides arefrigerator including a cabinet equipped with a refrigeratorcompartment and a freezer compartment, a refrigerator compartment doorconnected to the cabinet and configured to open and close therefrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment door provided at alateral side of the refrigerator compartment door and configured to openand close the freezer compartment, a second detection device provided atone or more doors of the refrigerator compartment door and the freezercompartment door and configured to detect a person, a door openingdevice provided at the one or more doors of the refrigerator compartmentdoor and the freezer compartment door and configured to have a drivingmotor, one or more sensing assemblies provided at the one or more doorsof the refrigerator compartment door and the freezer compartment doorand configured to project one or more optical patterns, a firstdetection device configured to detect an occlusion of one or morevirtual switches generated by the one or more optical patterns on abottom surface, and a controller configured to control the door openingdevice, wherein the controller activates the door opening device to openthe one or more doors among the refrigerator compartment door and thefreezer compartment door when the first detection device detects theocclusion of the one or more virtual switches.

Still yet another aspect of the present disclosure provides arefrigerator including a cabinet equipped with a refrigeratorcompartment and a freezer compartment, a refrigerator compartment doorconnected to the cabinet and configured to open and close therefrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment door provided at anupward portion of the refrigerator compartment door and configured toopen and close the freezer compartment, a second detection deviceprovided at the freezer compartment door and configured to detect aperson, a door opening device provided at one or more doors of therefrigerator compartment door and the freezer compartment door or thecabinet, and configured to have a driving motor, one or more sensingassemblies provided at the refrigerator compartment door and configuredto project one or more optical patterns, a first detection deviceconfigured to detect an occlusion of one or more virtual switchesgenerated by the one or more optical patterns on a bottom surface, and acontroller configured to control the door opening device, wherein thecontroller activates the door opening device to open the one or moredoors of the refrigerator compartment door and the freezer compartmentdoor when the first detection device detects the occlusion of the one ormore virtual switches.

At least a portion of the one or more virtual switches on the bottomsurface may be superposed with the one or more doors of the refrigeratorcompartment door and the freezer compartment door in upward and downwarddirections.

Also, the first detection device may be arranged at a position equal toor greater than one-half of a height of the cabinet.

According to one aspect, a refrigerator includes a cabinet defining astorage compartment, a door connected to the cabinet and configured toopen and close the storage compartment, the door being configured torotatably open using an actuator, and a sensor assembly provided at arecessed portion of the refrigerator, the recessed portion extendingrearward from a front surface of the refrigerator. The sensor assemblyincludes a first sensor being configured to detect the user's movementbased upon the detection by a second sensor of the user's presencewithin a predetermined distance, and a projection unit configured toproject an image at a ground surface in front of the refrigerator. Therefrigerator further includes the second sensor provided at a front sideof the refrigerator and configured to detect the presence of the userwithin the predetermined distance. The door is configured, based upondetection by the first sensor of the user's movement, to be opened bythe actuator.

Implementations according to this aspect may include one or more of thefollowing features. For example, at least a portion of the projectedimage may fall within a detection range of the first sensor. The firstsensor may be provided at the front side of the refrigerator at aposition that is vertically lower than the second sensor. The actuatormay include a driving motor that is positioned within the door. Theactuator may be configured to open the door by providing a pushing forceon the cabinet. The storage compartment may include a top compartmentand a bottom compartment, the door may include a top compartment doorconfigured to cover the top compartment and a bottom compartment doorconfigured to cover the bottom compartment, and the actuator may beconfigured to open the top compartment door. The second sensor may beprovided at the top compartment door. The recessed portion may includean inclined surface that extends rearward and downward from the frontsurface of the refrigerator, and the sensor assembly may be provided atthe inclined surface. The inclined surface may be oriented to form anangle of approximately 20° to 30° relative to the front surface of therefrigerator.

In some implementations, the recessed portion may be formed at thebottom compartment door. The recessed portion may be formed at a lowerend of the bottom compartment door. The projection unit may bepositioned vertically lower than the first sensor on the inclinedsurface. The first sensor may be configured to determine whether a partof the user is present between the projected image and the first sensor.In some cases, one or both of the first and second sensors may be aposition sensing device that is configured to determine whether the useror a part of the user is present within a detection range of theposition sensing device. The first sensor may include a first positionsensing device, the detection range of the first position sensing devicebeing less than 15 cm. The second sensor may include a second positionsensing device, the detection range of the second position sensingdevice being between approximately 15 and 100 cm. In some cases, thedoor may be configured to rotatably open to a preset manual range uponrotation by a user and to rotatably open to a preset automatic rangethat is less than the preset manual range upon rotation by the actuator.The preset automatic range may be approximately 25°. The preset manualrange may be approximately 180° or greater. The projection unit may beconfigured, based upon earlier of the opening of the door by theactuator or elapsing of a preset time, to stop projecting the image onthe ground surface. At least a portion of the projected image may extendrearward of the front surface of the refrigerator.

The details of one or more implementations are set forth in theaccompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will beapparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

Advantageous Effects

In the refrigerator and the control method for the refrigeratoraccording to the proposed implementation, the following effects may beexpected.

In the refrigerator according to the implementation of the presentdisclosure, since the door opening device is driven through thedetection of the sensing assembly provided at the door, and the door isautomatically opened even when the user is holding the object in bothhands, the user convenience can be enhanced.

And the sensing assembly projects the image on the bottom surface, atwhich the refrigerator is placed, and induces the user's operation, anddetects whether the operation is performed at the area of the projectedimage through the detection device, and thus enables the door openingdevice to be driven.

Therefore, the user can perform an easy and reliable door openingoperation through an accurate positioning operation.

In particular, the sensing assembly is provided at the freezercompartment door provided at the lower side, and the projected image islocated close to the refrigerator, and thus quality of the projectedimage and detection performance can be enhanced.

Also, the misrecognition due to the animals, the children or otherthings which go by the refrigerator can be prevented, and thus the doorcan be prevented from being opened inadvertently.

Also, the image is projected toward the lower side of the inclinedsurface, and the operation can be easily performed by the free user'sfoot, and the operation for opening the door can be simply performedwhile the user is close to the refrigerator.

And since approaching of the user is primarily detected by the seconddetection device provided at the refrigerator compartment door, and thenthe projector is turned on, an unnecessary operation of the projectorcan be prevented.

Also, since the door is opened by the detection of the first detectiondevice after the detection of the second detection device, the dooropening operation can be reliably performed, and the misrecognition canbe minimized.

And while the door is opened, the reed switch is switched off, and theprojector and the first detection device are not activated, and thus theunnecessary door opening operation is not performed while the door isalready opened.

And while the aspheric lens is removed, and the number of lenses forregulating a focus is reduced, the projector can project the quality ofimage, which can be recognized by the user, through arrangement of thefilm and regulation of the projecting distance.

Therefore, the entire length of the projector can be shortened, and theprojector can have a structure which can be installed at the freezercompartment door having a restricted width due to the insulation.

In particular, the sensing assembly may be installed at the inclinedsurface, and disposed to be inclined with respect to the ground at theinside of the door, and thus can be effectively installed at the insidethe door having the restricted width.

And the characters formed at the film of the projector may be formed bya printing, and have high resolution, and thus the characters on theimage formed on the bottom surface can be clearly indicated, and alsothe user's convenience can be enhanced.

Also, when the characters formed on the film are printed, a rate of thewidth is adjusted in consideration of the shape of the image formed tobe inclined on the bottom surface, and thus the image can be apparentlyand clearly formed even when being projected in an inclined direction,and thus the user's convenience can be further enhanced.

And, in the sensing assembly, the sensing assembly and the projector canbe formed in one module, and thus the productivity can be enhanced andthe assembly work can be simplified, thereby improving assemblability.

Also, the sensing assembly having a minimized volume can be disposed atthe inside of the door having a restricted space, and thus spacearrangement can be efficiently disposed, and the insulation performancecan be prevented from being degraded.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to a firstimplementation of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating a state in which all doors of therefrigerator are opened.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a sub-door ofthe refrigerator is opened.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a state in which amain door and the sub-door are separated from each other.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an installationstructure of a door opening device according to the first implementationof the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the door opening device when being seenfrom a lower side.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the door opening device.

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating a state of the door opening device whenthe door is closed.

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating the state of the door opening device whenthe door is opened.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the sub-door.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a lower portion of thesub-door.

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the sub-door.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a freezer compartment door according tothe first implementation of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the freezer compartment door.

FIGS. 15A to 15E are views sequentially illustrating a molding processof an outer plate of the freezer compartment door.

FIG. 16 is a partial perspective view of the freezer compartment door/

FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a couplingstructure of a door plate, a lower decoration and a covering member.

FIG. 18 is a partially cut-away perspective view illustrating a couplingstate of the door plate, the lower decoration and the covering member.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 19-19′ of FIG. 13.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the lower decoration of the freezercompartment door when being seen from a front.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the lower decoration when being seenfrom an upper side.

FIG. 22 is a partial perspective view of a sensing assembly installationpart of a lower decoration.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a sensing assembly according to thefirst implementation of the present disclosure when being seen from afront.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the sensing assembly when being seenfrom a rear.

FIG. 25 is an exploded perspective view of the sensing assembly whenbeing seen from one direction.

FIG. 26 is an exploded perspective view of the sensing assembly whenbeing seen from another direction.

FIG. 27 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the sensing assembly.

FIGS. 28A to 28C are views illustrating an installation process of thesensing assembly.

FIG. 29 is a view illustrating an image projecting state through aprojector of the sensing assembly.

FIG. 30 is an enlarged view of an A area of FIG. 29.

FIG. 31 is a view illustrating a detection area and an image projectingarea by the sensing assembly.

FIG. 32 is a block diagram illustrating a flow of a control signal ofthe refrigerator.

FIGS. 33A and 33B are views illustrating an opening operation state ofthe main door.

FIG. 34 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating an operation of thedoor opening device.

FIG. 35 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating an initial operation ofthe door opening device.

FIG. 36 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating a standby operation ofthe door opening device.

FIG. 37 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating an opening operation ofthe door opening device.

FIG. 38 is a view illustrating a duty change according to an FG pulsecount during the opening operation.

FIG. 39 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating a stopping operationafter opening of the door opening device.

FIG. 40 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating a returning operationof the door opening device.

FIG. 41 is a view illustrating a duty change during the returningoperation according to the FG pulse count.

FIG. 42 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating an emergency returningoperation of the door opening device.

FIG. 43 is a view illustrating a duty change according to the FG pulsecount during the emergency returning operation.

FIG. 44 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to a secondimplementation.

FIG. 45 is a lateral view of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 44.

FIG. 46 is a block diagram of the refrigerator according to the secondimplementation.

FIG. 47 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a refrigeratorcompartment door according to the second implementation.

FIG. 48 is a flowchart illustrating an opening method of a door of therefrigerator according to the second implementation.

FIG. 49 is a view illustrating a state in which a person holding foodand drink in both hands is approaching the refrigerator.

FIG. 50 is a view illustrating a foot of a person positioned at anupward portion of a virtual switch.

FIG. 51 is a view illustrating an opening state of a second dooraccording to the second implementation.

FIG. 52 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to a thirdimplementation.

FIG. 53 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to a fourthimplementation.

FIG. 54 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to a fifthimplementation.

FIG. 55 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to a sixthimplementation.

FIG. 56 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to a seventhimplementation.

FIG. 57 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to an eighthimplementation.

FIG. 58 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to a ninthimplementation.

FIG. 59 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to a tenthimplementation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, exemplary implementations of the present disclosure will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.However, the disclosure may, however, be implemented in many differentforms and should not be construed as being limited to theimplementations set forth herein; rather, alternative implementationsincluded in other retrogressive disclosures or falling within the spiritand scope of the present disclosure can easily be derived throughadding, altering, and removing, and will fully convey the concept of thedisclosure to those skilled in the art.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to a firstimplementation of the present disclosure. And FIG. 2 is a front viewillustrating a state in which all doors of the refrigerator are opened.And FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which asub-door of the refrigerator is opened.

As illustrated in the drawings, an exterior of a refrigerator 1according to an implementation of the present disclosure may be formedby a cabinet 10 which forms a storage space, and a door which opens andcloses the storage space.

An inside of the cabinet 10 may be vertically divided by a barrier 11,and a refrigerator compartment 12 may be formed at an upper portion ofthe cabinet 10, and a freezer compartment 13 may be formed at a lowerportion of the cabinet 10.

And various accommodation members 121 such as a shelf, a drawer and abasket may be provided inside the refrigerator compartment 12. A mainlighting unit 85 which illuminates the refrigerator compartment 12 maybe provided at the refrigerator compartment 12. The main lighting unit85 may be disposed at the freezer compartment 13, and may also bedisposed at any positions of an inner wall surface of the refrigerator1.

A drawer type freezer compartment accommodation member 131 which isinserted into and withdrawn from the freezer compartment 13 may bemainly disposed inside the freezer compartment 13. The freezercompartment accommodation member 131 may be formed to be inserted andwithdrawn, interlocking with opening of a freezer compartment door 30.And a first detection device 92 which detects a user's body may beprovided at a front surface of the freezer compartment door 30. Detaileddescription of the first detection device 92 will be described againbelow.

The door may include a refrigerator compartment door 20 and the freezercompartment door 30. The refrigerator compartment door 20 serves to openand close an open front surface of the refrigerator compartment 12 byrotation, and the freezer compartment door 30 serves to open and closean open front surface of the freezer compartment 13 by rotation. And onepair of the refrigerator compartment door 20 and the freezer compartmentdoor 30 may be provided left and right to shield the refrigeratorcompartment 12 and the freezer compartment 13.

A plurality of door baskets may be provided at the refrigeratorcompartment door 20 and the freezer compartment door 30. The doorbaskets may be provided so as not to interfere with the accommodationmembers 121 and 131 while the refrigerator compartment door 20 and thefreezer compartment door 30 are closed.

Meanwhile, the implementation of the present disclosure describes anexample in which a French type door opening and closing one space byrotating one pair of doors disposed in parallel is applied to a bottomfreezer type refrigerator having the freezer compartment provided at alower side thereof. However, the present disclosure may be applied toall types of refrigerators having the door.

An exterior of each of the refrigerator compartment door 20 and thefreezer compartment door 30 may be formed of a metallic material, andthe entire refrigerator 1 may have a metallic texture. And if necessary,a dispenser which dispenses water or ice may be provided at therefrigerator compartment door 20.

Meanwhile, a right one (in FIG. 1) of the pair of refrigeratorcompartment doors 20 may be formed to be doubly opened and closed.Specifically, the right refrigerator compartment door 20 may include amain door 40 which may be formed of the metallic material to open andclose the refrigerator compartment 12, and a sub-door 50 which may berotatably disposed inside the main door 40 to open and close an openingof the main door 40.

The main door 40 may be formed to have the same size as that of a leftone (in FIG. 1) of the pair of refrigerator compartment doors 20, may berotatably installed at the cabinet 10 by a main hinge 401 and a middlehinge 402, and thus may open and close a part of the refrigeratorcompartment 12.

And an opening part 403 which is opened to have a predetermined size maybe formed at the main door 40. A door basket 404 may be installed at arear surface of the main door 40 including an inside of the opening part403. Therefore, a user may have access to the door basket 404 throughthe opening part 403 without opening of the main door 40. At this point,the size of the opening part 403 may correspond to most of a frontsurface of the main door 40 except a part of a perimeter of the maindoor 40.

The sub-door 50 is rotatably installed inside the opening part 403, andopens and closes the opening part 403. And at least a part of thesub-door 50 may be formed of a transparent material like glass.Therefore, even while the sub-door 50 is closed, it can be possible tosee through the inside of the opening part 403. The sub-door 50 may bereferred to as a see-through door.

Meanwhile, a front surface of the sub-door 50 may be formed to have acontrollable light transmittance and reflectivity, and thus may beselectively changed into a transparent or opaque state according to auser's operation. And a door lighting unit 49 which emits light towardthe inside of the opening part 403 may be provided at an upper portionof the main door 40, and may be turned on/off by the user.

When there are not any operations while all of the main door 40 and thesub-door 50 are closed, the door lighting unit 49 and the main lightingunit 85 are maintained in an OFF state. In this state, light outside therefrigerator 1 is reflected on the front surface of the sub-door 40, andthe sub-door 50 may have an opaque black color or may be in a state likea mirror surface. Therefore, an accommodation space of the main door 40and an internal space of the refrigerator compartment 12 are notvisible.

Therefore, the sub-door 50 may provide a beautiful and simple exteriorhaving a mirror like texture to the refrigerator 1. Also, the exteriormay harmonize with the metallic texture of the main door 40, therefrigerator compartment door 20 and the freezer compartment door 30,and thus may provide a more luxurious image.

However, in a state in which all of the main door 40 and the sub-door 50are closed, the door lighting unit 49 or the main lighting unit 85 isturned on by a user's certain operation. While the door lighting unit 49or the main lighting unit 85 is turned on, an inside of the refrigerator1 becomes bright, and light inside the refrigerator 1 may be transmittedthrough the sub-door 50, and thus the sub-door 50 may becometransparent.

When the sub-door 50 is in the transparent state, the accommodationspace of the main door 40 and the internal space of the refrigeratorcompartment 12 may be visible. Therefore, the user may confirm anaccommodation state of food in the accommodation space of the main door40 and the internal space of the refrigerator compartment 12 withoutopening of the main door 40 and the sub-door 50.

Also, when the sub-door 50 is in the transparent state, a display unit60 disposed at a rear of the sub-door 50 is in a visible state, and anoperation state of the refrigerator 1 may be displayed to an outside.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a state in which themain door and the sub-door are separated from each other.

As illustrated in the drawing, an external appearance of the main door40 may be formed by an outer plate 41, a door liner 42 and door capdecorations 45 and 46.

The outer plate 41 may be formed of a plate-shaped stainless material,and may be formed to be bent and thus to form a part of a front surfaceand a perimeter surface of the main door 40.

The door liner 42 may be injection-molded with a plastic material, andforms the rear surface of the main door 40. And the door liner 42 mayform a space which is in communication with the opening part 403, andmay have a plurality of door dikes and an uneven structure formed at aperimeter thereof so that the door basket 404 is installed.

A rear gasket 44 may be provided at a perimeter of a rear surface of thedoor liner 42. The rear gasket 44 is in close contact with a perimeterof the cabinet 10, and prevents a leak of cooling air between the maindoor 40 and the cabinet 10.

The upper cap decoration 45 and the lower cap decoration 46 form anupper surface and a lower surface of the main door 40. And a hingeinstallation part 451 which enables the main door 40 to be rotatablyinstalled at the cabinet 10 may be formed at each of the upper capdecoration 45 and the lower cap decoration 46. Therefore, an upper endand a lower end of the main door 40 are rotatably supported by the mainhinge 401 and the middle hinge 402, respectively.

And a door handle 462 may be formed to be recessed from the lowersurface of the main door 40, i.e., the lower cap decoration 46. The usermay put a hand into the door handle 462, may rotate the main door 40,and thus may open and close the refrigerator compartment 12.

Meanwhile, a door frame 43 may be further provided between the outerplate 41 and the door liner 42, and may form a perimeter of the openingpart 403.

In a state in which the outer plate 41, the door liner 42, the doorframe 43, and the cap decorations 45 and 46 are coupled with each other,a foaming solution may be filled inside an internal space of the maindoor 40, and thus an insulation may be formed therein. That is, theinsulation may be disposed at a perimeter area of the opening part 403,and thus isolate a space inside the refrigerator 1 from a space outsidethe refrigerator 1.

A hinge hole 433 in which each of sub-hinges 51 and 52 for installingthe sub-door 50 is installed may be formed at each of both sides of thedoor frame 43. The hinge hole 433 may be formed at a position whichfaces a side surface of the sub-door 50, and also formed so that each ofthe sub-hinges 51 and 52 is inserted therein.

The sub-hinges 51 and 52 may include an upper hinge 51 and a lower hinge52 which are installed at an upper end and a lower end of the sub-door50. The sub-hinges 51 and 52 may be formed at the upper end and thelower end of the sub-door 50 to be recessed, such that the upper hinge51 and the lower hinge 52 may be installed therein. And the upper hinge51 and the lower hinge 52 may extend laterally toward the hinge hole433, and may be coupled at an inside of the main door 40.

Therefore, there is not an interfering structure with the sub-hinges 51and 52 at a gap between the main door 40 and the sub-door 50. And adistance between the main door 40 and the sub-door 50 may be maintainedin a narrow state, and the exterior may be further enhanced. Asdescribed above, the interference with the main door 40 upon therotation of the sub-door 50 may be prevented, while the distance betweenthe main door 40 and the sub-door 50 is maintained in the narrow state.

And a hinge cover 53 which shields the upper hinge 51 and guides accessof an electric wire of the sub-door 50 toward the main door 40 may befurther provided at an upper side of the upper hinge 51.

Meanwhile, the display unit 60 may be provided at the opening part 403.The display unit 60 serves to display an operation state of therefrigerator 1 and also to operate the refrigerator 1, and may be formedto be seen from an outside through the sub-door 50 by the user when thesub-door 50 is in the transparent state. That is, the display unit 60 isnot exposed to the outside while the sub-door 50 is in the opaque state,and may display a variety of information to the outside while thesub-door 50 is in the transparent state.

Of course, the display unit 60 may include a display 61 which displaysstate information of the refrigerator 1, and various operating buttons62 which set the operation of the refrigerator 1. The operation of therefrigerator 1 may be operated by the operating buttons 62.

The display unit 60 may be separably provided at a lower end of theopening part 403. Therefore, when it is necessary to check or repair thedisplay unit 60, the display unit 60 may be separated. And after themain door 40 is assembled, the display unit 60 which is assembled as aseparate module may be simply installed. Also, the display unit 60 whichhas a necessary function according to a specification of therefrigerator 1 may be selectively installed.

To install and separate the display unit 60, a display installingprotrusion 435 which is coupled to a display guide 634 provided at aside surface of the display unit 60 may be formed at both inner sidesurfaces of the opening part 403. And a display connection part 436 forelectrical connection with the display unit 60 may be provided at thelower end of the opening part 403.

The upper cap decoration 45 is provided at an upper end of the main door40, and an opening device accommodation part 452 (in FIG. 5) may beformed at the upper cap decoration 45 to be recessed downward. Theopening device accommodation part 452 may be shielded by a capdecoration cover 453.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an installationstructure of a door opening device according to the first implementationof the present disclosure. And FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the dooropening device when being seen from a lower side. And FIG. 7 is anexploded perspective view of the door opening device.

As illustrated in the drawings, the opening device accommodation part452 can be formed at the upper cap decoration 45 which forms the uppersurface of the main door 40. And a door opening device 70 may beprovided inside the opening device accommodation part 452. An open uppersurface of the opening device accommodation part 452 is shielded by thecap decoration cover 453. A rod hole 4511 which is oriented toward thecabinet 10 may be formed at an inner side surface of the opening deviceaccommodation part 452.

The door opening device 70 for automatically opening the main door 40may be accommodated inside the opening device accommodation part 452,and may be formed to be shielded by the cap decoration cover 453.

The door opening device 70 may include an upper case 71 and a lower case72 which form an external appearance thereof. A driving motor 73 and aplurality of gears may be installed at the upper case 71 and the lowercase 72, and a push rod 77 which is moved by the plurality of gears maypush the cabinet 10 and thus may open the main door 40.

The implementation of the present disclosure describes an example inwhich the door opening device 70 is provided at the upper end of themain door 40. However, the door opening device 70 may be provided at thesub-door 50 and the freezer compartment door 30, and may be formed toautomatically open the sub-door 50 and the freezer compartment door 30.

The upper case 71 and the lower case 72 form the external appearance ofan upper portion and a lower portion of the door opening device 70. Anda space in which the plurality of gears and the push rod 77 are disposedmay be provided by coupling the upper case 71 and the lower case 72 toeach other.

Ring installation parts 721 in which a plurality of mounting rings 722are installed may be formed at an outside of the lower case 72. Themounting ring 722 serves to support the lower case 72 and to enable thelower case 72 to be seated inside the opening device accommodation part452, and may be formed of a silicone material. Therefore, vibrationgenerated when the door opening device 70 is driven may be attenuated,and thus a noise may be prevented.

The mounting ring 722 may be formed so that a ring boss 454 inside theopening device accommodation part 452 passes therethrough. And a screwwhich passes through the upper case 71 is fastened to the ring boss 454,and thus the upper case 71 and the lower case 72 may be coupled to eachother, and the lower case 72 may also be installed and fixed to aninside of the opening device accommodation part 452.

The driving motor 73 may be installed at a lower surface of the lowercase 72. The driving motor 73 may be a BLDC type motor which is rotatednormally or reversely. Other types of actuators may be used. Since theBLDC type motor is used as the driving motor 73, a speed of the drivingmotor 73 may be variably controlled by counting a frequency generating(FG) signal.

Therefore, when the door opening device 70 is driven, a shock generatedwhen the main door 40 is opened and closed may be relieved throughcontrolling of the speed. In an emergency situation, emergency return ofthe push rod 77 or the like may be allowed. The implementation of thepresent disclosure will describe an example of the BLDC motor in whichthree hall sensors are provided and three FGs are counted during onerevolution.

The driving motor 73 may be installed at the lower surface of the lowercase 72, and a rotating shaft 731 of the driving motor 73 extends to aninside of the lower case 72, and a motor pinion 732 may be provided atthe rotating shaft 731 of the driving motor 73. The motor pinion 732 isprovided at an internal space of the lower case 72, and may be coupledto a first reduction gear 751.

An opening device PCB 74 may be provided at the lower surface of thelower case 72. The opening device PCB 74 may be installed at the lowersurface of the lower case 72, and may be installed under the push rod77.

The opening device PCB 74 serves to control the driving motor 73. Afirst hall sensor 741 and a second hall sensor 742 may be provided atthe opening device PCB 74. The first hall sensor 741 is provided at aposition at which a magnet 774 provided at the push rod 77 is detectedwhen the push rod 77 is completely inserted therein. And the second hallsensor 742 is provided at a position at which the magnet 774 provided atthe push rod 77 is detected when the push rod 77 is completely withdrawntherefrom. Therefore, the driving motor 73 may be controlled by theopening device PCB 74 according to detection signals of the first hallsensor 741 and the second hall sensor 742.

The plurality of gears may be disposed in the lower case 72 to beengaged with each other, and may be installed by a shaft 723 so as to berotated between the lower case 72 and the upper case 71. The pluralityof gears include reduction gears 75 and dummy gears 76. The reductiongears 75 may reduce a rotating speed, and then may transmit a force fordriving the push rod 77. And the dummy gear 76 serves to ensure awithdrawing distance of the push rod 77, and a contact position with thepush rod 77 may be moved by combination of the dummy gears 76.

Specifically, the motor pinion 732 is coupled to the first reductiongear 751. The first reduction gear 751 is a gear which is coupled to themotor pinion 732 having the highest rotating speed, and thus there isthe highest probability that the noise is generated. Therefore, themotor pinion 732 and the first reduction gear 751 may be formed of anelastomer material having excellent mechanical strength and elasticrecovery rate and high thermal resistance. Therefore, the noise betweenthe motor pinion 732 and the first reduction gear 751 may be reducedwhile the mechanical strength required in the motor pinion 732 and thefirst reduction gear 751 is satisfied. The remaining gears may be formedof an engineering plastic material (POM).

The first reduction gear 751 may be connected with a second reductiongear 752, the second reduction gear 752 may be connected with a thirdreduction gear 753, and the third reduction gear 753 may be connectedwith a fourth reduction gear 754 sequentially. Like a general reductiongear, the reduction gears 75 have a structure in which an input side andan output side thereof are arranged vertically in two stages, and may beformed so that the input side and the output side are in contact withanother adjacent gear so as to reduce the speed.

An RPM may be controlled through combination of the plurality ofreduction gears 75, and a force transmitted to the push rod 77 may becontrolled through the controlling of the RPM. Of course, the number ofreduction gears 75 may be adjusted as needed.

A first dummy gear 761 is disposed at the fourth reduction gear 754, andthe first dummy gear 761 and the push rod 77 may be connected by asecond dummy gear 762. Each of the dummy gears 76 may have a generalspur gear shape, and may be formed to simply transmit a force of thefourth reduction gear 754 to the push rod 77 and also to ensure amaximum withdrawing distance of the push rod 77 by controlling a contactdistance with the push rod 77. To this end, the dummy gears 76 mayinclude a plurality of gears having different sizes.

Specifically, due to a structural characteristic of the lower case 72provided inside the cap decoration 45, a width of the lower case 72 islimited. Therefore, a size of each of the reduction gears 75 disposedinside the lower case 72 is also limited. In addition, a length of thepush rod 77 is also limited due to its structure characteristic in whichthe push rod 77 is inserted or withdrawn inside the lower case 72.

In this state, the reduction gears 75 have the two-stage structurehaving the input side and the output side. Therefore, the sizes thereofare limited to a predetermined size or more. When the fourth reductiongear 754 is directly connected to the push rod 77, a contact pointbetween the fourth reduction gear 754 and the push rod 77 is located ata position which is distant from the main door 40 due to a diameter ofthe fourth reduction gear 754, and the sufficient withdrawing distanceof the push rod 77 may not be ensured.

A position of the contact point for transmitting power of the push rod77 should be arranged in a withdrawing direction of the push rod 77 whenpossible, and also should be located at a position which is close to therear surface of the main door 40. To this end, the dummy gears 76 may bearranged between the fourth reduction gear 754 and the push rod 77.

When the dummy gears 76 become bigger within a limited space, theposition of the contact point with the push rod 77 is distant from therear surface of the main door 40. Therefore, the power of the fourthreduction gear 754 is transmitted to the push rod 77 using a pluralityof dummy gears 76 having small sizes. That is, the power of the fourthreduction gear 754 may be transmitted to the push rod 77 using the firstdummy gear 761 and the second dummy gear 762.

At this point, a size of the second dummy gear 762 which is in contactwith the push rod 77 may be formed smaller than that of the first dummygear 761, and may be in contact with the push rod 77 at a position asclose as possible to the rear surface of the main door 40. And a part ofthe lower case 72 at which the second dummy gear 762 is located may berecessed outward, and thus a position of the second dummy gear 762 islocated as close as possible to a side of the cabinet 10.

The push rod 77 may push the cabinet 10, and may open the main door 40.And the push rod 77 may be installed inside the lower case 72, and arack 771 may be formed at an outer surface of the push rod 77 so as tobe coupled to the second dummy gear 762. Therefore, due to rotation ofthe dummy gears 76, the rack 771 may pass through the rod hole 4511, andthen may protrude.

The push rod 77 may be formed smaller than a width of the upper capdecoration 45, and may also be formed to have a length which may ensurethe withdrawing distance of the main door 40. And the push rod 77 may beformed to extend with a predetermined curvature. Therefore, the push rod77 may be maintained in a contacting state with a predetermined point ofa front surface of the cabinet 10 even when the main door 40 is rotated.Therefore, even when the main door 40 is rotated, the push rod 77 may beprevented from being slipped, and may push one point of the cabinet 10,and thus may open the main door 40.

A rod cap 78 may be formed at a front end of the push rod 77. The rodcap 78 may be formed of rubber or an elastic material, and may be incontact with the cabinet 10, may prevent generation of the noise whenthe push rod 77 is in contact with the cabinet 10, may enhance acontacting force, and thus may effectively transmit a push force of thepush rod 77 to the cabinet 10.

Also, a size of the outer surface of the push rod 77 may be formed equalto or larger than that of the rod hole 4511. Therefore, the rod cap 78may be formed to shield the rod hole 4511 while the push rod 77 iscompletely inserted.

A guide groove 772 may be formed at an upper surface and a lower surfaceof the push rod 77. The guide groove 772 may be formed along anextending shape of the push rod 77, and may also be formed to have thesame curvature as that of the push rod 77.

Guide protrusions 714 and 724 which are inserted into the guide grooves772 may be formed at the lower case 72 and the upper case 71. Since theguide protrusions 714 and 724 are also formed to have the same curvatureas that of the push rod 77, the push rod 77 is moved along the guideprotrusions 714 and 724 upon the inserting and withdrawing of the pushrod 77. Accordingly, when the push rod 77 is inserted and withdrawn, theguide protrusions 714 and 724 may be maintained in an inserted stateinto the guide grooves 772, and thus the push rod 77 may be preventedfrom being moved. And since the movement of the push rod 77 isprevented, the push rod 77 may be maintained in an stably engaged statewith the second dummy gear 762 even upon the inserting and withdrawingthereof.

A magnet installation part 773 which accommodates the magnet 774 may beformed at a rear end of the push rod 77. The magnet installation part773 may be located just above the first hall sensor 741 in a state inwhich the push rod 77 is completed inserted. And the magnet installationpart 773 may be located just above the second hall sensor 742 in a statein which the push rod 77 is completed withdrawn. Therefore, when thepush rod 77 is inserted and withdrawn, a motion of the push rod 77 maybe detected through the first hall sensor 741 and the second hall sensor742 of the opening device PCB 74.

Meanwhile, a switch magnet 455 may be provided at the opening deviceaccommodation part 452. The switch magnet 455 may be installed and fixedinside the opening device accommodation part 452 which is in contactwith the hinge installation part 451. And a reed switch 4011 may beprovided at the main hinge 401 which is installed at the hingeinstallation part 451. The main hinge 401 at which the reed switch 4011is installed includes the hinge which may be formed of a metallicmaterial and substantially fixes the main door 40, and the hinge coverwhich shields the main hinge 401.

The reed switch 4011 may be provided at the main hinge 401, andmaintains a fixed position even when the main door 40 is rotated. Andthe switch magnet 455 is rotated together when the main door 40 isrotated.

Therefore, while the main door 40 is closed, the reed switch 4011 isswitched on by the switch magnet 455, and the switch magnet 455 becomesdistant at a moment when the main door 40 is opened, and thus the reedswitch is switched off. Like this, it may be determined whether the maindoor 40 is opened or closed according to the ON/OFF of the reed switch4011, and driving of the door opening device 70 may be controlledaccording to the opening and closing of the main door 40.

That is, since the reed switch 4011 is switched off in a state in whichthe main door 40 is opened, the driving motor 73 is not operated evenwhen an opening signal of the door opening device 70 is input, while themain door 40 is opened.

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating a state of the door opening device whenthe door is closed.

As illustrated in the drawing, while the main door 40 is closed, theswitch magnet 455 is located at a position which faces the reed switch4011, and thus the reed switch 4011 is maintained in an ON state.

And the push rod 77 is in a completely inserted state. In this state,the magnet 774 is located above the first hall sensor 741, and thus thefirst hall sensor 741 is in the ON state. That is, while a user'soperation is not provided, the reed switch 4011 and the first hallsensor 741 are maintained in the ON state, and the driving motor 73 isnot rotated.

In a state in which the push rod 77 is completely inserted, the rod cap78 shields the rod hole 4511, and an end of the push rod 77 is spacedapart from the front surface of the cabinet 10.

In this state, when the user performs an operation for operating thedoor opening device 70, the opening signal of the main door 40 is input,and the driving motor 73 starts to be driven while being normallyrotated. A force generated by the driving of the driving motor 73 istransmitted to the push rod 77 by the reduction gears 75 and the dummygears 76, and the push rod 77 is moved toward the cabinet 10.

The end of the push rod 77 is in contact with the cabinet 10 by movementof the push rod 77. And the push rod 77 is continuously moved in acontacting state with the cabinet 10. The push rod 77 pushes the cabinet10, and thus the main door 40 is gradually opened.

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating the state of the door opening device whenthe door is opened.

As illustrated in the drawing, while the push rod 77 is completelywithdrawn, the magnet 774 is located at the second hall sensor 742. Whenthe second hall sensor 742 is turned on, the opening device PCB 74determines that the main door 40 is rotated at a preset angle, and thusmay stop the driving of the driving motor 73.

In this state, the main door 40 is opened at a predetermined angle, orpreset automatic range, and thus the user may put his/her elbow therein,and may rotate the main door 40. That is, in a state in which the useris holding an object, and thus may not open the main door 40 withhis/her hand, the user may further open the main door 40 using the elbowor a part of his/her body to the preset manual range.

For example, by the operation of the door opening device 70, the maindoor 40 may be opened so that a distance D between the rear surface ofthe main door 40 and a front surface of the adjacent refrigeratorcompartment door 20 is about 70 mm to 80 mm. At this point, a rotatingangle of the main door 40 may be 24° to 26°, for example 25°. In somecases, the automatic rotating range of the main door 40 may depend on adistance between the user and the main door 40. For example, therotating angle to which the door is rotated open may be increased beyond26° if the user is standing farther away from the refrigerator. Duringthis manual opening operation, the door can be opened to its full manualrange, for example 180° or greater.

And the open main door 40 may be closed after the food is completelyaccommodated. Then, when a preset time passes, the driving motor 73 maybe rotated reversely, and thus the push rod 77 which is in a withdrawnstate may be automatically returned, and thus may be in a stateillustrated in FIG. 8. And even in the case in which an obstacle isdetected when the main door 40 is opened, or an external force isexerted while the main door 40 is opened, the driving motor may bereversely rotated, and thus the push rod 77 may be returned.

Meanwhile, when the user further opens the main door 40 after the maindoor 40 is opened, and thus the reed switch 4011 is switched off, theuser may close the main door 40 before the preset time passes. In thiscase, the push rod 77 may be rapidly returned, and thus may be preventedfrom colliding with the cabinet 10 and being broken.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the sub-door. And FIG. 11 is anexploded perspective view of a lower portion of the sub-door. And FIG.12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the sub-door.

As illustrated in the drawings, the sub-door 50 may be formed in a shapecorresponding to that of the opening part 403. And the sub-door 50 maybe rotatably installed at the main door 40 by the sub-hinges 51 and 52to open and close the opening part 403.

A panel assembly 54 which may be formed by stacking a plurality of glasslayers at regular intervals is provided at the sub-door 50, and aninside of the refrigerator 1 may be selectively seen through the panelassembly 54. The panel assembly 54 may be formed so that the pluralityof glass layers are arranged to be spaced apart from each other and thusto form an insulation layer. One of the plurality of glass layers whichforms the front surface of the sub-door 50 may be formed of a half glassmaterial to selectively see through the inside of the refrigerator 1.The insulation may be formed at a perimeter of the panel assembly 54,and thus may insulate an outer area of the panel assembly 54.

Side frames 55 and 56 which form both side surfaces of the sub-door 50are provided at both sides of the panel assembly 54. A handle 561 of thesub-door 50 may be formed at one side frame 56 to be recessed, and thesub-hinges 51 and 52 may be fixed to the other side frame 55.

Sub-cap decorations 57 and 58 may be provided at upper and lowerportions of the panel assembly 54. The sub-cap decorations 57 and 58form an upper surface and a lower surface of the sub-door 50, is coupledto the side frames 55 and 56, and form a perimeter of the sub-door 50.The sub-hinges 51 and 52 may be installed at the sub-cap decorations 57and 58 provided at the upper and lower ends of the sub-door 50,respectively.

A detection device accommodation part 582 at which a second detectiondevice 81 and a knock detection device 82 are installed may be formed atthe sub-cap decoration 58 which forms the lower surface of the sub-door50. The detection device accommodation part 582 may be shielded by anaccommodation part cover 583.

The second detection device 81 which may be installed at the sub-capdecoration 58 is a device which checks a user' approach, and the knockdetection device 82 is a device which detects the user's knockingoperation on the sub-door 50. The second detection device 81 and theknock detection device 82 may be attached to a rear surface of a frontpanel 541 which forms a front surface of the panel assembly 54.

A bezel 5411 may be formed along a perimeter of the rear surface of thefront panel 541. The second detection device 81 and the knock detectiondevice 82 may be disposed at the bezel 5411 which is formed at a lowerend of the front panel 541. Therefore, when being seen from an outsideof the refrigerator 1, the second detection device 81 and the knockdetection device 82 may be disposed to be hidden. At this point, a partof the bezel 5411 located at a portion at which the second detectiondevice 81 is disposed is removed, and thus infrared light may be easilytransmitted and received.

The second detection device 81 may be located on an extension line ofthe first detection device 92, and may be arranged vertically with thefirst detection device 92. And an installation height of the seconddetection device 81 corresponds to the lower end of the sub-door 50, andthus an ordinary adult may be detected, but a child having a smallheight, an animal, or other things smaller than the height of the seconddetection device 81 may not be detected.

A position sensing device (PSD) may be used as the second detectiondevice 81. That is, the second detection device 81 may be formed so thatthe infrared light is emitted from a light emitting part 811, an angleof the reflected light is measured by a light receiving part, and thus aposition of the user is recognized. An approach distance which isdetected by the PSD may be set, and a detectable distance of the seconddetection device 81 may be less than 1 m, for example between 15 cm and100 cm, and thus, when the user is located within a distance of 1 m fromthe front surface of the refrigerator 1, it may be recognized that theuser is located at a front of the refrigerator 1 to operate therefrigerator 1.

Like the knock detection device 82, an installation position of thesecond detection device 81 corresponds to the lower end of the sub-door50 located at an upper side. Since the installation position correspondsto a height of about 1 m from a floor, the child having the small heightor other things having the low height may not be detected.

A pressing member 813 may be further provided at a rear of the seconddetection device 81. The pressing member 813 may be formed to press thesecond detection device 81 so that the second detection device 81 isfixed to the detection device accommodation part 582, and also thesecond detection device 81 is in close contact with the front panel 541.

The knock detection device 82 may be formed to recognize whether theuser knocks on the front panel 541 of the sub-door 50. A certainoperation of the refrigerator 1 may be indicated by a knocking operationdetected by the knock detection device 82. For example, the doorlighting unit 49 may be turned on by the user's knocking operation, andthus the sub-door 50 may become transparent.

The knock detection device 82 is located at an edge of the front panel541, but an effective input part for the user's knocking operation isnot limited thereto. The knock detection device 82 includes a microphonewhich detects a sound wave generated by vibration, instead of thevibration itself. Therefore, in a state in which the knock detectiondevice 82 is in close contact with a medium at which the vibration isgenerated by the knocking operation, even though the knocking operationis applied to any positions, the sound wave may be transmitted throughthe continuous same medium, and may be effectively detected. And aposition of the knock detection device 82 may be disposed at one end atwhich the electric wires may be arranged and a visible area of thesub-door 50 may also be maximized.

That is, an area to which a user's knocking input is applied may be anentire area which is defined by the front surface of the front panel541. Most of the front panel 541 except a boundary portion thereof is asee-through area which selectively becomes transparent, and the knockdetection device 82 may not be disposed thereat.

Therefore, it is preferable that the knock detection device 82 belocated at the area of the bezel 5411 in the front panel 541. Inparticular, the bezel 5411 located at an upper end and left and rightsides of the front panel 541 may be minimized by locating the knockdetection device 82 at the lower end of the front panel 541 rather thanboth of the left and right sides thereof. By such a shape of the bezel5411, the see-through area may be expanded. Since the knock detectiondevice 82 is located at the lower end of the front panel 541 on which auser's eyes are relatively less focused, a wider see-through area may beprovided to the user.

Since the knock detection device 82 is located at the area of the bezel5411, is not exposed to an outside, and has a structure which is inclose contact with the front panel 541, the user's knocking operationmay be detected even through the user knocks on any position of thefront panel 541.

Meanwhile, there may be a lot of environmental factors other than theknocking operation in which the vibrations are exerted on the frontsurface of the front panel 541. The front surface of the sub-door 50 maybe vibrated by the shock generated when the main door 40 and thesub-door 50 are opened and closed, an external loud noise or the like,and such an input due to the external environments may be recognized asa knock signal.

Therefore, a detection device PCB 83 may be set so that a user'soperation which knocks several times on the front surface of thesub-door 50 may be recognized as a normal knock input. Morespecifically, the user's operation which knocks several times (e.g.,twice) on the front surface of the sub-door 50 at predetermined timeintervals may be recognized as the normal knock input.

A case fixing part 583 to which a screw for fixing the accommodationpart cover 583 to the sub-cap decoration 58 is fastened may be formed atone side of the accommodation part cover 583. An injection port coverpart 5831 is further formed at the other side of the accommodation partcover 583. The injection port cover part 5831 may be formed on thesub-cap decoration 58, and also formed to shield a first injection port5824 through which the foaming solution filled to mold an insulation 501is injected.

When the accommodation part cover 583 is installed at the sub-capdecoration 58, the detection device accommodation part 582 may beshielded, and the first injection port 5824 may also be shielded.

Meanwhile, a second injection port 584 through which the foamingsolution is injected is further formed at one side of the sub-capdecoration 58 close to the lower hinge 52. The second injection port 584may be shielded by a separate injection port cover 5841.

A first boss 5821 to which a screw for fixing the second detectiondevice 81 is fastened, and a second boss 5822 for fixing the knockdetection device 82 are respectively formed at a bottom surface of thedetection device accommodation part 582.

An electric wire hole 5823 may be formed at one surface of the detectiondevice accommodation part 582. An electric wire L which is connected tothe detection device PCB 83, the second detection device 81 and theknock detection device 82 may pass through the electric wire hole 5823and the perimeter of the sub-door 50, and may be guided to an outside ofthe sub-door 50 through the hinge cover 53.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the freezer compartment door accordingto the first implementation of the present disclosure. And FIG. 14 is anexploded perspective view of the freezer compartment door.

One pair of the freezer compartment doors 30 may be provided left andright, and formed to open and close the freezer compartment 13 byrotation. A sensing assembly 90 may be provided at a right one (inFIG. 1) of the pair of freezer compartment doors 30. The pair of freezercompartment doors 30 have the same structure as each other, except thesensing assembly 90, and thus only the right freezer compartment door 30will be described.

The freezer compartment door 30 may include a door plate 31, a freezercompartment door liner 32, an upper decoration 33, and a lowerdecoration 34. And the freezer compartment door 30 is filled with theinsulation.

The door plate 31 forms a front surface and both of left and right sidesurfaces of the freezer compartment door 30, and may be formed bybending a plate-shaped stainless material. In particular, an inclinedsurface 35 at which the sensing assembly 90 is installed may be at alower end of the front surface of the freezer compartment door 30. Asillustrated, the sensing assembly 90 may be positioned at a recessedportion that is recessed rearward from the front surface. While therecessed portion is shown being positioned at a lower end of the freezercompartment door 30, the recessed portion may be positioned at otherparts of the freezer compartment door 30 or any other door of therefrigerator. In some cases, the recessed portion may be formed in thecabinet of the refrigerator.

The freezer compartment door liner 32 forms a rear surface of thefreezer compartment door 30. The freezer compartment door liner 32 isinjection-molded with a resin material, and may be formed so that anaccommodation member is installed at the rear surface of the freezercompartment door 30. And the insulation may be filled between thefreezer compartment door liner 32 and the door plate 31.

The upper decoration 33 is coupled to the door plate 31 and the freezercompartment door liner 32, and forms an upper surface of the freezercompartment door 30. And a freezer compartment door handle 331 may beformed at the upper decoration 33 to be recessed downward. The upperdecoration 33 may be formed of the same material as that of the doorplate 31.

The lower decoration 34 is coupled to the door plate 31 and the freezercompartment door liner 32, and forms a lower surface of the freezercompartment door 30.

Meanwhile, the door plate 31 which forms the front surface and both sidesurfaces of the freezer compartment door 30 may be formed by bending theplate-shaped material. In particular, the inclined surface 35 may beformed at the lower end of the front surface of the freezer compartmentdoor 30.

To form the inclined surface 35, the door plate 31 may be formed bybending several times the plate-shaped material. And the door plate 31may be manufactured so that creases are not generated at an exteriorthereof, and diffused reflection does not occur even though the inclinedsurface 35 is formed.

FIGS. 15A to 15E are views sequentially illustrating a molding processof the outer plate of the freezer compartment door.

A process of manufacturing the door plate 31 will be described withreference to FIGS. 15A to 15E.

First, to mold the door plate 31, a stainless steel plate as a rawmaterial is machined by a blanking process. The door plate 31 is moldedinto a shape illustrated in FIG. 15A by the blanking process of thesteel plate.

Specifically, by the blanking process, the door plate 31 includes afront surface part 311 which forms the front surface of the freezercompartment door 30, an inclined part 312 which forms the inclinedsurface 35 at a lower end of the front surface part 311, and a sidesurface part 313 which forms a side surface of the freezer compartmentdoor 30.

A recessed part 314 may be formed at a portion of an upper end of thedoor plate 31 at which the front surface part 311 and the side surfacepart 313 are divided from each other. When the front surface part 311and the side surface part 313 are bent, a shape which is able to becoupled to the upper decoration 33 may be formed by the recessed part314.

A cut-away part 315 may be formed at a portion of a lower end of thedoor plate 31 at which the inclined part 312 and the side surface part313 are divided from each other. When the front surface part 311, theside surface part 313 and the inclined part 312 are bent by the cut-awaypart 315, a door slit 36 may be formed at a corner portion formed by theinclined part 312 and the side surface part 313. And an installationhole 351 in which the sensing assembly 90 is inserted may be formed atthe inclined part 312 by the blanking process.

In the door plate 31 machined by the blanking process, a forming part316 may be formed to be bent along an edge of the door plate 31 by aforming process, as illustrated in FIG. 15B. The forming part 316 formsa portion of the door plate 31 which is coupled to the upper decoration33 and the lower decoration 34, and a portion thereof which is coupledto the freezer compartment door liner 32. The forming part 316 may beformed to be bent vertically. At this point, a part of the side surfacepart 313 and the inclined part 312 forming the cut-away part 315 is notmachined by the forming process.

In the door plate 31 machined by the forming process, a boundary portionbetween the front surface part 311 and the side surface part 313 ismachined by a primary bending process, as illustrated in FIG. 15C. Aportion which is machined by the primary bending process is a cornerportion at which the front surface and the side surface of the freezercompartment door 30 are in contact with each other, and may be machinedby the bending process to have a predetermined curvature. The bendingprocess is performed until when both side ends of the inclined surface35, i.e., portions which are in contact with the cut-away parts 315 arebent with the same curvature.

The door plate 31 machined by the primary bending process may bemachined by a secondary bending process, as illustrated in FIG. 15D. Aportion machined by the secondary bending process is a boundary linebetween the front surface part 311 and the inclined part 312, and may bemachined by the bending process to have a predetermined curvature. Theinclined surface 35 may be formed by the secondary bending process. Theinclined surface 35 has a predetermined angle. In the implementation ofthe present disclosure, the inclined surface 35 may be formed to have anangle of about 20° to 30° with respect to the front surface of thefreezer compartment door 30. The angle of the inclined surface 35 may beset within a range which easily detects the user's operation andprevents misrecognition. By the secondary bending process, a side end ofthe inclined surface 35 and an end of the side surface part 313 are incontact with each other.

The door plate 31 machined by the secondary bending process may bemachined by a tertiary bending process, as illustrated in FIG. 15E. Aportion machined by the tertiary bending process corresponds to one endof the side surface part 313 which forms the cut-away part 315, and isbent with a predetermined curvature. By the tertiary bending process,the door slit 36 may be formed at accurate intervals.

By such processes, an entire shape of the door plate 31 may be formed.In particular, due to a molding structure of the door slit 36, thecreases are not generated while the inclined surface 35 is molded, and acurve by which the diffused reflection occurs is not generated.

The completely molded door plate 31 may be coupled to the upperdecoration 33 and the lower decoration 34, and may also be coupled tothe freezer compartment door liner 32. And the foaming solution isfilled inside the freezer compartment door 30, and forms the insulation.

FIG. 16 is a partial perspective view of the freezer compartment door.

As illustrated in the drawing, the door slit 36 may be formed at a sidesurface of the freezer compartment door 30 close to a bottom hinge 37which supports a lower end of the freezer compartment door 30, and acovering member 38 is provided inside the freezer compartment door 30 toshield the door slit 36.

The door slit 36 may be formed at the side surface of the freezercompartment door 30, i.e., the side surface part 313 of the door plate31 so as to prevent exposure when being seen from a front of therefrigerator 1.

And the door slit 36 may be formed along the inclined surface 35 at aposition close to the inclined surface 35 so as to enable the inclinedsurface 35 to be easily molded. By the door slit 36, the creases may beprevented from being generated at the door plate 31, and the diffusedreflection may be prevented from occurring, even though the inclinedsurface 35 is molded. The door slit 36 may be formed corresponding to alength of the inclined surface 35, and may be formed to extend to alower end of the side surface of the freezer compartment door 30.

Of course, a position at which the door slit 36 is formed is not limitedto the above-described implementation, and may be formed at variouspositions, e.g., a corner portion of the side surface of the inclinedsurface 35, or one side of the inclined surface 35 which enables theinclined surface 35 to be bent.

The covering member 38 may be installed inside the freezer compartmentdoor 30. The covering member 38 may be in close contact with an innerside surface of the door plate 31. At this point, a rib part 383 of thecovering member 38 is inserted into the door slit 36.

The rib part 383 may be formed to have the same length and width asthose of the door slit 36, and may protrude so as to be on the sameplane as that of the side surface of the freezer compartment door 30while being installed at the door slit 36. Therefore, when the rib part383 is inserted into the door slit 36, the door slit 36 is filled, andthus prevented from being exposed.

And the covering member 38 or at least the rib part 383 may be formed tohave the same color as that of the outer plate 41. Therefore, the ribpart 383 which is exposed to an outside while being inserted into thedoor slit 36 has a sense of unity with the door plate 31.

FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a couplingstructure of the door plate, the lower decoration and the coveringmember. And FIG. 18 is a partially cut-away perspective viewillustrating a coupling state of the door plate, the lower decorationand the covering member. And FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view takenalong line 19-19′ of FIG. 13.

The covering member 38 and a coupling structure of the covering member38 will be described with reference to the drawings.

The lower decoration 34 may be formed to correspond to a shape of thelower surface of the freezer compartment door 30 and thus to form thelower surface of the freezer compartment door 30.

A plate insertion part 341 may be formed to be recessed along an edge ofeach of a front end and left and right side ends of the lower decoration34. The plate insertion part 341 forms a space in which the forming part316 forming a boundary of the door plate 31 is inserted. A plurality ofribs 3411 which are inclined to enable the forming part 316 to be fixedwhile the forming part 316 is inserted may be formed inside the plateinsertion part 341.

A plate support part 342 which extends upward may be formed at aperimeter of the lower decoration 34 except a rear end thereof. Theplate support part 342 may be formed to be in contact with the doorplate 31 and thus to support the door plate 31.

And a liner support part 343 which extends upward may be formed at therear end of the lower decoration 34. The liner support part 343 is incontact with the freezer compartment door liner 32, and support a lowerend of the freezer compartment door liner 32.

An internal space of the freezer compartment door 30 may form a closedspace by the plate support part 342 and the liner support part 343, andthe foaming solution may be filled inside the plate support part 342,and may form the insulation.

And a covering member insertion part 344 which is formed to have a shapecorresponding to that of a lower end of the covering member 38 may beformed at a side end of the lower decoration 34. The covering memberinsertion part 344 may be formed at the side end of the lower decoration34 to be stepped, and may provide a space in which a lower end of thecovering member insertion part 344 is inserted when the door plate 31and the lower decoration 34 are coupled.

And a hinge insertion part 345 and an electric wire fixing part 346which will be described below in detail may be further formed at thelower decoration 34.

The covering member 38 may be installed and fixed to the lowerdecoration 34, and may be formed to be in close contact with a corner ofone side of the freezer compartment door 30 close to the hinge insertionpart 345 at which the bottom hinge 37 is installed.

Specifically, the covering member 38 may include a first surface 381which is in contact with the side surface part 313 of the door plate 31,and a second surface 382 which is in contact with the inclined part 312and the front surface part 311. And a portion at which the first surface381 and the second surface 382 are in contact with each other may beformed to have a curvature corresponding to a bent corner part of thedoor plate 31.

A lower end of the first surface 381 extends downward further than alower end of the second surface 382, and may be inserted into thecovering member insertion part 344. And the rib part 383 which protrudesoutward may be formed at an outer surface of the first surface 381. Therib part 383 may be formed at a position which is able to be insertedinto the door slit 36.

The second surface 382 may be formed to be in close contact with theinclined surface 35 and a front surface, and may be formed to be bent atan angle corresponding to the inclined surface 35. And the lower end ofthe second surface 382 is located upward further than the lower end ofthe first surface 381, and formed so as not to interfere with the platesupport part 342.

While the covering member 38 is installed, an entire outer surface ofthe covering member 38 may be in close contact with an inner surface ofthe door plate 31, and may be maintained in a closely contacting statewith the door plate 31 by an adhesive. And while the covering member 38is installed, the rib part 383 may pass through the door slit 36, andmay be exposed to the outside.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the lower decoration of the freezercompartment door when being seen from a front. And FIG. 21 is aperspective view of the lower decoration when being seen from an upperside.

As illustrated in the drawings, a sensing assembly installation part 39at which the sensing assembly 90 is installed may be formed to berecessed from one side of the lower decoration 34. The sensing assemblyinstallation part 39 may be formed at an external space of the platesupport part 342. Therefore, the sensing assembly 90 may be installed atthe sensing assembly installation part 39 after or before the foamingsolution for forming the insulation is injected into a separate spacewhich is partitioned from the space in which the insulation may beformed.

The sensing assembly installation part 39 is disposed at one endopposite to a portion at which the bottom hinge 37 supporting thefreezer compartment door 30 is installed. That is, the sensing assemblyinstallation part 39 may be formed at one end close to the pair offreezer compartment doors 30. Therefore, the sensing assembly 90installed at the sensing assembly installation part 39 may be located upand down on an extension line of the second detection device 81. Also,the installation hole 351 may be disposed at a front of the sensingassembly installation part 39.

The sensing assembly installation part 39 may be in communication with aspace, which is formed above the lower decoration 34, through anelectric wire guide hole 348. Therefore, the electric wires L which areconnected to the sensing assembly 90 may be introduced into the lowerdecoration 34 through the electric wire guide hole 348, and may beguided along an inside of the lower decoration 34 to a decorationelectric wire hole 347 which is formed at the other side of the lowerdecoration 34.

At this point, a plurality of electric wire fixing parts 346 may beformed at an inner surface of the lower decoration 34 in an arrangementdirection of the electric wires, and the electric wires L may bemaintained in the closely contacting state with the electric wire fixingparts 346. Therefore, even while the foaming solution is being injectedinside the freezer compartment door 30, a position of the electric wiresL may not be deviated, but may be fixed.

The hinge insertion part 345 may be formed at another side of the lowerdecoration 34 which is distant from the sensing assembly installationpart 39. The hinge insertion part 345 may be formed to extend upward,and may be formed in a boss shape in which a hinge shaft of the bottomhinge 37 is accommodated.

The decoration electric wire hole 347 may be formed at a bottom surfaceof the lower decoration 34 close to the hinge insertion part 345. Theelectric wires L which are connected to the sensing assembly 90 may beguided to an outside of the lower decoration 34 through the decorationelectric wire hole 347. At this point, the electric wires L may extendtoward the cabinet 10 via a side of the bottom hinge 37, and may beconnected to a main control part 2.

FIG. 22 is a partial perspective view of the sensing assemblyinstallation part of a lower decoration.

As illustrated in the drawing, the sensing assembly installation part 39may be formed at one side end of the lower decoration 34. The sensingassembly installation part 39 may be formed to be recessed inward in aminimum depth which forms a space for accommodating the sensing assembly90. That is, the insulation may be formed at a rear of the sensingassembly installation part 39, and thus insulation performance of thefreezer compartment door 30 may be maintained.

In particular, the sensing assembly 90 may be installed inside thesensing assembly installation part 39 so as to be inclined. Therefore,the sensing assembly 90 having a long length may be installed at alimited inside of the freezer compartment door 30 while maintaining aninsulation space.

The plate support part 342 may be formed along an edge of the sensingassembly installation part 39. The sensing assembly installation part 39may be formed so that a left surface and a front surface thereof areopened. Therefore, when the lower decoration 34 is injection-molded, aninside of the sensing assembly installation part 39 may be easilymolded.

The sensing assembly installation part 39 may include an assemblyaccommodation part 391 and a connector accommodation part 392. Theassembly accommodation part 391 is a space in which the sensing assembly90 is accommodated, and may be formed at one side end of the lowerdecoration 34.

The assembly accommodation part 391 may be formed to be inclined, andthus to support a rear surface of the sensing assembly 90 which isdisposed to be inclined with respect to the ground. That is, while thesensing assembly 90 is completely installed, a rear end of the sensingassembly 90 is in contact with an inner surface of the assemblyaccommodation part 391.

An assembly guide 394 may be formed at a bottom surface of the assemblyaccommodation part 391. The assembly guide 394 may be formed in a shapehaving a plurality of ribs which are continuously disposed at regularintervals. And a plurality of assembly guides 394 may be formed to havethe same shape, and may be formed to connect an inner surface 393 of theassembly accommodation part 391 with the bottom surface of the lowerdecoration 34.

The assembly guide 394 may be formed vertically long, and a guideinclined part 395 may be formed at an end of the assembly guide 394which is directed toward the door plate 31. The guide inclined part 395may be formed at a front end of the assembly guide 394 to be inclinedgradually upward toward the inner surface 393 of the assemblyaccommodation part 391.

The guide inclined part 395 may include a first inclined part 3951 whichextends from the front end of the assembly guide 394, and a secondinclined part 3952 which extends from a rear end of the first inclinedpart 3951 to a rear end of the assembly guide 394.

The first inclined part 3951 may be formed to have a larger slope thanthat of the second inclined part 3952. Therefore, when the sensingassembly 90 is installed, rear ends of cases 93 and 94 may be in contactwith the first inclined part 3951, and may be moved backward, and mayalso be easily inserted into the inner surface 393 of the assemblyaccommodation part 391.

The slope of the second inclined part 3952 may be the same as that ofthe sensing assembly 90 when the sensing assembly 90 is completelyinstalled. That is, when the sensing assembly 90 is installed, a lowerend of the sensing assembly 90 may be supported by the second inclinedpart 3952, and the sensing assembly 90 is completely inserted along thesecond inclined part 3952. And in a state in which the sensing assembly90 is completely inserted, the lower end of the sensing assembly 90 issupported, and an installed position of the sensing assembly 90 is notchanged.

The connector accommodation part 392 may be formed at a lateral side ofthe assembly accommodation part 391. The connector accommodation part392 forms a space in which sensing assembly connectors 912 and 922 forconnecting the sensing assembly 90 with the main control part 2 areaccommodated. Therefore, the connector accommodation part 392 may beformed to have a size relatively smaller than the assembly accommodationpart 391. And the electric wire guide hole 348 may be formed above theconnector accommodation part 392.

Therefore, when the sensing assembly 90 is installed, a first connector912 connected to the sensing assembly 90 and a second connector 922connected to the main control part 2 are first connected from an outsideof the freezer compartment door 30, and then the sensing assembly 90 isinserted into the assembly accommodation part 391. At this point, thefirst connector 912 and the second connector 922 which are connected toeach other are located at a side of the connector accommodation part392.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the sensing assembly according to thefirst implementation of the present disclosure when being seen from afront. And FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the sensing assembly whenbeing seen from a rear. And FIG. 25 is an exploded perspective view ofthe sensing assembly when being seen from one direction. And FIG. 26 isan exploded perspective view of the sensing assembly when being seenfrom another direction. And FIG. 27 is a longitudinal cross-sectionalview of the sensing assembly.

As illustrated in the drawings, the sensing assembly 90 includes aprojector 91 which projects an image which induces a user' operation,and the first detection device 92 which detects the user's operation atan area of the image projected by the projector 91. And the projector 91and the first detection device 92 may be formed in one module.

More specifically, an external appearance of the sensing assembly 90 maybe formed by the pair of cases 93 and 94, and a case cover 95 whichshields open front surfaces of the cases 93 and 94. And all of theprojector 91 and the first detection device 92 may be installed insidethe cases 93 and 94.

At this point, the projector 91 and the first detection device 92 aredisposed vertically, and the projector 91 is located under the firstdetection device 92. Since the projector 91 is located under the firstdetection device 92, a position of the image projected from anappropriate position may be ensured. When the projector 91 is locatedabove the first detection device 92, a projecting distance is relativelyelongated, and thus a possibility of misrecognition is increased, andalso a quality of the projected image may be degraded.

The cases 93 and 94 may include a first case 93 and a second case 94which form both left and right sides. The first case 93 and the secondcase 94 are coupled to each other so that the projector 91 and the firstdetection device 92 are accommodated therein.

Rear surfaces of the first case 93 and the second case 94 may be coupledto each other by a coupling hook 941 and a hook groove 931. The couplinghook 941 may be inserted into the hook groove 931, and the coupling hook941 and the hook groove 931 may be formed at the first case 93 and thesecond case 94, respectively.

And front surfaces of the first case 93 and the second case 94 may bemay be fixed by coupling of the case cover 95. To this end, side hooks932 and 942 may be formed at both side surfaces of the first case 93 andthe second case 94, and may be inserted into a hook restriction part 951provided at the case cover 95 so as to be restricted to each other.

And a fastening hole 943 in which a fastening member 9431 such as ascrew and a bolt is inserted may be formed at the second case 94, and afastening boss 933 in which the fastening member 9431 is fastened may beformed inside the first case 93.

A first PCB hole 901 and a second PCB hole 902 through which an LED PCB911 and a detection device PCB 921 are exposed may be formed at the rearsurfaces of the cases 93 and 94. The first PCB hole 901 may be formed ata position corresponding to the LED PCB 911, and also formed smallerthan the LED PCB 911. The electric wire L which is connected to the LEDPCB 911 may pass through the first PCB hole 901.

And the second PCB hole 902 may be formed at a position corresponding tothe detection device PCB 921 for an operation of the first detectiondevice 92. The electric wire L which is connected to the detectiondevice PCB 921 may pass through the second PCB hole 902.

The first connector 912 which is connected to the electric wires L ofthe LED PCB 911 and the detection device PCB 921 may be connected to thesecond connector 922 which is connected to the main control part 2, andmay be disposed at the connector accommodation part 392.

A film slot 934 in which a film 913 having characters or symbolsindicated on the image to be projected on a floor surface on which therefrigerator 1 sits may be formed at one side of the first case 93. Awidth of the film slot 934 may be formed to be larger than a thicknessof the film 913, and thus the film 913 may be inserted and installedfrom an outside of the cases 93 and 94 into the cases 93 and 94.

Since the film 913 may be formed in a very thin plate shape, when thefilm 913 is installed in the cases 93 and 94, and then the first case 93and the second case 94 are assembled, the film 913 may be pressed orbent and thus may be deformed or damaged. Therefore, to prevent a damageof the film 913, a structure in which the film 913 is inserted from theoutside of the cases 93 and 94 through the film slot 934 may beprovided.

Meanwhile, a film groove 944 may be formed at an inner surface of thesecond case 94 corresponding to the film slot 934. The film groove 944may be recessed from the inner surface of the second case 94 so that thefilm 913 is inserted therein. Therefore, an end of the film 913 may beinserted and fixed into a space like a gap formed by the film groove944.

The film groove 944 may be formed to correspond to one end of theinserted film 913. And a corner of one end of the film 913 may be formedto be inclined, and thus may be inserted with directivity, like a SDcard. And the film groove 944 may be formed correspondingly. Therefore,the film 913 may be inserted in only one direction, and thus the film913 may be prevented from being erroneously installed. For example, thefilm 913 may be prevented from being reversely installed or beinginstalled at an inaccurate position.

And to prevent the film 913 from being deformed, a reinforcing platehaving a corresponding shape may be further provided at a front surfaceor a rear surface of the film 913. The reinforcing plate may be formedof a transparent material through which light is transmitted, and may beformed to have the same shape as that of the film 913.

The projector 91 is disposed at a lower portion inside the cases 93 and94. To dispose the projector 91, a projection part 930 having a circularcross section may be formed inside the cases 93 and 94. The projector 91disposed inside the projection part 930 may include the LED PCB 911, thefilm 913 and a plurality of lenses 914.

Specifically, the LED PCB 911 is located at the rearmost of the cases 93and 94, and an LED 9111 mounted on the LED PCB 911 emits light towardthe film 913. To fix the LED PCB 911, a PCB fixing part 935 may beformed at the projection part 930. The PCB fixing part 935 may berecessed so that a corner of the LED PCB 911 is inserted therein.

And the film groove 944 in which the film 913 is inserted may be formedat a front of the PCB fixing part 935. The film groove 944 may be formedbetween the LED PCB 911 and the lenses 914. A position of the filmgroove 944 may be determined so that the projected image is formedclearly.

A plurality of build-down grooves 936 which extend in forward andbackward directions may be formed at a circumference of the projectionpart 930 at which the film groove 944 is formed. The plurality ofbuild-down grooves 936 may be provided along the circumference of theprojection part 930, and serves to prevent deformation due tocontraction when the cases 93 and 94 are injection-molded.

The plurality of lenses 914 may be provided at a front of the filmgroove 944. The plurality of lenses 914 may be disposed at regularintervals, and may control a focal distance of the projected image byadjusting a distance between the lenses 914. Therefore, the distancebetween the plurality of lenses 914 may be adjusted so that the imageclearly forms on the floor surface on which the refrigerator 1 isinstalled.

And lens grooves 937 in which the lenses 914 are installed may be formedat the projection part 930. The distance between the lenses 914 may bedetermined according to a distance between the lens grooves 937. Theplurality of lenses 914 disposed at the projection part 930 may beprovided. However, it is preferable that three lenses 914 be used,considering the space of the assembly accommodation part 391.

The image projected on the floor surface may be further clear by usingmore lenses 914. However, when the number of lenses 914 is increased, alength of the projector 91 is increased, and thus there may be a problemthat the sensing assembly 90 may not be installed inside the freezercompartment door 30 having a limited thickness.

A front surface of the projection part 930 may be formed to be opened.The open front surface of the projection part 930 may be shielded by thecase cover 95. And the light which is emitted from the LED 9111 andpasses through the film 913 and the lenses 914 may pass through aprojecting hole 952 of the case cover 95, and then may be projected onthe floor surface.

A detection part 940 may be formed above the projection part 930, i.e.,an upper portion of the cases 93 and 94. The detection part 940 is aportion in which the first detection device 92 is accommodated, and maybe formed in a shape corresponding to the first detection device 92.

The first detection device 92 serves to detect whether a user's foot islocated at an area of the image projected by the projector 91, and mayuse a device which detects a user' approach. For example, like thesecond detection device 81, the PSD sensor which emits and receives theinfrared light may be used as the first detection device 92. However, adetection distance of each of the first detection device 92 and thesecond detection device 81 may be set different from each other due to adifference in an installation position thereof and an object to bedetected. The first detection device 92 may have a detection distance ofless than 15 cm, for example 10 cm to 15 cm corresponding to a distanceto the floor surface on which the image projected by the projector 91 isformed.

Meanwhile, in the first detection device 92, a light emitting part 923and a light receiving part 924 may be disposed up and down. And abarrier 925 may be provided between the first detection device 92 andthe case cover 95. The barrier 925 may be formed so that both endsthereof are in contact with a front surface of the first detectiondevice 92 and a rear surface of the case cover 95, respectively. And thebarrier 925 divides the light emitting part 923 and the light receivingpart 924. Therefore, the infrared light emitted from the light emittingpart 923 may be prevented from being reflected by the case cover 95 andbeing directed to the light receiving part 924.

While the sensing assembly 90 is installed at the inclined surface 35 ofthe freezer compartment door 30 to be inclined, the first detectiondevice 92 is installed inside the cases 93 and 94 to be intersected withthe inclined surface 35. And the first detection device 92 and the casecover 95 are disposed in a direction which are spaced apart from eachother and intersected with each other. In this state, when some of thelight emitted from the light emitting part 923 collides with the casecover 95, the light may be reflected and then may be introduced into thelight receiving part 924.

However, when the light emitting part 923 and the light receiving part924 are divided by the barrier 925, the infrared light emitted by thelight emitting part 923 penetrates the case cover 95, and the lightreflected by the floor surface or the user may penetrate the case cover95, and then may be introduced into the light receiving part 924.

The barrier 925 may be formed inside the cases 93 and 94, and may beintegrally formed with the cases 93 and 94. Of course, the barrier 925may also be integrally formed with the first detection device 92 or thecase cover 95.

The open front surface of the detection part 940 may be shielded by thecase cover 95. That is, all of the open front surfaces of the projectionpart 930 and the detection part 940 may be shielded by the case cover95.

The case cover 95 may be formed of a transparent material through whichthe light is transmitted, and the projecting hole 952 may be formed at aportion thereof corresponding to the projection part 930. A protrusionpart 953 may be formed at an area corresponding to each of acircumference of the projecting hole 952 and the detection part 940.

A flange 954 may be formed at the rear surface of the case cover 95 toextend backward along a perimeter of the case cover 95. And the hookrestriction part 951 which extends backward may be formed at both sidesof the case cover 95. The side hook 932 formed at the cases 93 and 94 ishooked and restricted by the hook restriction part 951.

A cover fixing hook 956 which enables the case cover 95 to be hooked andfixed to the installation hole 351 may be formed at both sides of thecase cover 95. By the cover fixing hook 956, the sensing assembly 90 maybe maintained in an installed and fixed state to the sensing assemblyinstallation part 39.

Meanwhile, a decoration plate 96 is attached on the front surface of thecase cover 95. The decoration plate 86 may be formed of the samemetallic material as that of the door plate 31. And the decoration plate96 may be formed to have the same shape as that of the front surface ofthe case cover 95, and also formed to cover the entire front surface ofthe case cover 95.

Plate holes 961 and 962 in which the protrusion parts 953 of the casecover 95 are inserted may be formed at the decoration plate 96.Therefore, the decoration plate 96 may be coupled to the case cover 95.

When the sensing assembly 90 is installed, the decoration plate 96 isexposed through the installation hole 351 formed at the inclined surface35 of the freezer compartment door 30, and may have the sense of unitywith the door plate 31.

Meanwhile, a separate clear cover may be further provided at the openprojecting hole 952. The clear cover may shield the projecting hole 952to prevent foreign substances from entering, and may also be formed totransmit the light projected from the projector 91. Of course, the casecover 95 may be formed so that the projecting hole 952 and the clearcover are not provided, and the light projected from the projector 91penetrates the transparent case cover 95, and is projected.

FIGS. 28A to 28C are views illustrating an installation process of thesensing assembly.

As illustrated in the drawings, to install the sensing assembly 90 atthe freezer compartment door 30, while the molding of the freezercompartment door 30 is completed, as illustrated in FIG. 28A, the secondconnector 922 provided to the electric wire L connected to the maincontrol part 2 is taken out through the installation hole 351, and thencoupled to the first connector 912 connected to the sensing assembly 90.

While the first connector 912 and the second connector 922 are connectedto each other, the first connector 912 and the second connector 922which are coupled to each other are pushed inside the connectoraccommodation part 392, and then the sensing assembly 90 is insertedinto the installation hole 351.

When the rear surface of the sensing assembly 90 is inserted into theinstallation hole 351, lower surfaces of the cases 93 and 94 are incontact with the assembly guide 394. That is, as illustrated in FIG.29B, the lower surfaces of the cases 93 and 94 may be moved while beingin contact with the first inclined part 3951.

When the sensing assembly 90 is continuously pushed in a rear, the lowersurfaces of the cases 93 and 94 are moved along the second inclined part3952, and rear ends of the cases 93 and 94 are in contact with the innersurface 393 of the assembly accommodation part 391, and are in a stateillustrated in FIG. 28C.

While the sensing assembly 90 is completely inserted and installed, thesecond inclined part 3952 supports the sensing assembly 90 from a lowerside. And the case cover 95 may be fixed in the installation hole 351 bythe cover fixing hook 956 of the case cover 95.

And while the fixing and installing of the sensing assembly 90 iscompleted, the front surface of the case cover 95 or the decorationplate 96 is located on the same plane as that of the front surface ofthe inclined surface 35, and shields the installation hole 351.

Hereinafter, an image projecting method by the sensing assembly 90 and adetecting method of the first detection device 92 will be described.

FIG. 29 is a view illustrating an image projecting state through theprojector of the sensing assembly. And FIG. 30 is an enlarged view of anA area of FIG. 29.

As illustrated in the drawings, a predetermined image is projected onthe floor surface, on which the refrigerator 1 is installed, by theprojector 91 of the sensing assembly 90 so as to induce the user'soperation.

The light emitted from the LED 9111 of the LED PCB 911 passes throughthe film 913, and the light passes through the film 913 passes throughthe plurality of lenses 914. The light passing through the lenses 914passes through a focal point, and indicates the characters T provided atthe film 913 on the floor surface.

At this point, the sensing assembly 90 has limitation in a length and asize thereof due to structural characteristics of the insulated freezercompartment door 30. Therefore, in the projector 91, an aspheric lenswhich enables the light to straightly penetrate the film 913 may beomitted to increase definition of the image, and thus the size thereofmay be reduced. However, due to omission of the aspheric lens, anintensity of the light incident to a surface of the film 913 may not beconstant, and thus the image may not be clearly formed.

Therefore, to solve the problems, the intensity of the light isincreased by moving the film 913 toward the LED 9111, and the charactersT on the film 913 may be formed in a high-resolution printing method,and thus the characters may be clearly formed on the floor surface.

When the image is projected on an inclined floor surface, uniformity ofthe image indicated on the floor surface is degraded by a difference inthe intensity of light due to a difference in the projecting distancebetween a first half portion and a second half portion.

Specifically, due to a characteristic of the light emitted from theinclined surface 35 of the freezer compartment door 30 toward the floorsurface, a side close to the front surface of the freezer compartmentdoor 30 has a short projecting distance and thus a high intensity oflight, and a side distant from the front surface of the freezercompartment door 30 has a long projecting distance and thus a lowintensity of light. Therefore, there is a problem that a size of thecharacters T indicated by the image displayed on the floor surface ischanged according to whether the image is located close to or distantfrom the freezer compartment door 30. Also, due to the difference in theintensity of light, the characters T formed on the floor surface closeto the freezer compartment door 30 is spread, or the characters T formedon the floor surface distant from the freezer compartment door 30becomes dark.

To solve the problems, the characters T formed on the film 913 iscompensated, and thus even when the image is projected on the inclinedfloor surface, the entire characters T may be clearly formed with anormal rate.

Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 30, in the characters T printed onthe film 913, an area of a portion corresponding to a word “Door” may beformed widely, and an area of a portion corresponding to a word “Open”may be formed narrowly, and thus the entire portion may be formed in atrapezoidal shape. For understanding of the description, the certaincharacters have been described. However, even in the case of anothercharacters, pictures or figures, the picture or the figure printed onthe film 913 may be formed to have a width which becomes narrowerdownward.

When the light is emitted from the LED 9111 to the film 913 on which thecharacters T are printed as described above, the characters T of theimage indicated on the relatively inclined floor surface may beindicated with the same vertical width rate, regardless of thedifference in the projecting distance. Also, brightness and definitionof the side close to or distant from the freezer compartment door 30 maybe relatively improved, and thus the user may easily recognize thecharacters T.

FIG. 31 is a view illustrating a detection area and an image projectingarea by the sensing assembly.

As illustrated in the drawing, the sensing assembly 90 may be installedat the assembly installation part 39. The sensing assembly 90 may besupported inclinedly by the assembly guide 394. And the front surface ofthe sensing assembly 90 is located at the inclined surface 35 of thefreezer compartment door 30. Therefore, the image may be formed on thefloor surface located at a front of the refrigerator 1 by the lightemitted from the projector 91, and a corresponding position may bedetected by the first detection device 92. At this point, all of aposition of the image formed on the floor surface and a detectionposition by the first detection device 92 may be determined by an angleof the inclined surface 35.

More specifically, the inclined surface 35 of the freezer compartmentdoor 30 may be formed to have an angle of about 20° to 30° with respectto the front surface of the freezer compartment door 30. When theinclined surface 35 has an angle of less than 20°, the image isprojected at a too long distance from the freezer compartment 13, andthus a shape of the image formed on the floor surface is also unclear ordistorted.

In particular, the detection distance for detecting the user's operationby the first detection device 92 is too far, and thus in a situation inwhich the user does not want a door opening operation, the door openingdevice 70 may be operated due to misrecognition. That is, in a situationin which a person or an animal just passes the refrigerator 1, or in asituation in which an object is located or moved at a front of therefrigerator 1, the situation may be misrecognized as an openingoperation of the main door 40, and thus the door opening device 70 maybe driven.

Also, when the angle of the inclined surface 35 is more than 30°, theimage projected from the projector 91 may be formed at a side which istoo close to the front surface of the refrigerator 1, and the detectionposition of the user's operation by the first detection device 92 isalso too close to the freezer compartment door 30.

In this case, the user should approach a position close to therefrigerator 1 to operate the main door 40. In this state, when the dooropening device 70 is driven, the user may collide with the main door 40which is automatically opened.

Also, when the inclined surface 35 has a too large angle, the bottomhinge 37, the cover which shields the bottom hinge 37 or other elementsprovided at the lower end of the freezer compartment door 30 may beexposed. And a leg 14 which supports the cabinet 10 at a lower surfaceof the cabinet 10 may be exposed, and thus the external appearance maybe degraded.

Considering the situation, it is preferable that the inclined surface 35have the angle of about 20° to 30°. In this state, the user's foot maybe detected at a distance of 5 cm to 10 cm from the front surface of thefreezer compartment door 30.

Therefore, when the main door 40 is opened, the user's operation may beperformed at a position at which the user does not collide with the maindoor 40. In particular, when the image is projected from the inclinedsurface 35 on the floor surface, and the user's foot is moved to a spaceunder the inclined surface 35, the user's foot may be detected and thusthe possibility of the misrecognition may be considerably reduced.

Hereinafter, an operation of the refrigerator 1 according to theimplementation of the present disclosure having the above-describedstructure will be described.

FIG. 32 is a block diagram illustrating a flow of a control signal ofthe refrigerator.

As illustrated in the drawing, the refrigerator 1 includes the maincontrol part 2 which controls the operation of the refrigerator 1, andthe main control part 2 may be connected to the reed switch 4011. Thereed switch 4011 may be provided at the main hinge 401, and may detectthe opening of the main door 40.

And the main control part 2 may be connected to the main lighting unit85 provided inside the cabinet 10, and may illuminate the inside of therefrigerator 1 when the refrigerator compartment door 20 or the maindoor 40 is opened. And the main control part 2 may be connected to thedoor lighting unit 49, and may turn on the door lighting unit 49 whenthe sub-door 50 is opened or when a signal of the knock detection device82 is input.

The main control part 2 may be connected to the display unit 50, maycontrol an operation of the display unit 60, and may display operationinformation of the refrigerator 1 through the display unit 60 or mayoperate various functions.

The main control part 2 may be directly or indirectly connected to thefirst detection device 92, the second detection device 81, the knockdetection device 82 and the projector 91, and may receive an operationsignal by them, or may control the operation.

And the main control part 2 may be connected to the door opening device70, and the door opening device 70 may be driven according to the user'soperation so that the main door 40 is automatically opened.

FIGS. 33A and 33B are views illustrating an opening operation state ofthe main door. And FIG. 34 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating anoperation of the door opening device.

As illustrated in the drawings, when electric power is applied to therefrigerator 1 while the refrigerator 1 is installed, the refrigerator 1may enter a standby state for the opening of the main door 40 through aninitial operation [S100].

In a state in which the initial operation is completed by supplying theelectric power, a standby operation is performed. And in the standbyoperation, the refrigerator 1 waits to detect the user's operation foropening the main door 40.

As illustrated in FIG. 33A, in a state in which the refrigerator 1 is inthe standby operation, when the user stands in front of the refrigerator1 while holding an object in his/her hands, the user's position isrecognized by the second detection device 81. And when the seconddetection device 81 recognizes that the user is located within adetection range, the projector 91 is operated, and projects the image onthe floor surface on which the refrigerator 1 is installed.

In this state, when the user's foot is moved to a lower side of theinclined surface 35 at which the freezer compartment door 30 may beformed, at least a part of the image projected on the floor surface maybe covered, as illustrated in FIG. 33B. And the first detection device92 may detect that the user's foot is located at the area of the imageprojected by the projector 91, and thus may transmit a signal foropening the main door 40 [S200].

In the standby operation, when the signal for opening the main door 40is input, the door opening device 70 starts to be driven, and an openingoperation in which the main door 40 is automatically opened isperformed, and the main door 40 is rotated at a preset angle.

The main door 40 which is rotated at the preset angle may be opened soas to be spaced apart from the front surface of the adjacentrefrigerator compartment 12, and the user may put his/her elbow in anopen space, and may further open the main door 40.

While the main door 40 is opened, a stopping operation after opening isperformed so that the main door 40 is maintained in an opened state fora preset time. Therefore, the main door 40 may be maintained in theopened state [S400].

Meanwhile, when the preset time passes after the main door 40 is opened,the door opening device 70 performs a returning operation. In thereturning operation, the main door 40 is rotated by its own weight, andshields the refrigerator compartment 12. When the refrigerator 1 isinstalled, the refrigerator 1 may be disposed to be inclined, such thatthe front surface thereof is somewhat higher than the rear surfacethereof. This is to enable the doors to be closed by their own weightswhen an external force is removed after the door of the refrigerator 1including the main door 40 is opened.

When the returning operation is completed, the refrigerator 1 is againin the standby operation which detects the user's operation. Thisprocess may be repeated, and the refrigerator 1 is maintained in astandby operation state after the electric power is applied [S500].

Meanwhile, when the main door 40 is further opened by the user'soperation while the main door 40 is being opened, an emergency returningsignal is generated. The door opening device 70 may perform an emergencyreturning operation, and thus may rapidly return the push rod 77.Therefore, the main door 40 may be prevented from colliding with thepush rod 77, and damage of the push rod 77 or the door opening device 70may be prevented [S600].

Hereinafter, each operation state will be described in detail withreference to the drawings.

FIG. 35 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating the initial operationof the door opening device.

As illustrated in the drawing, when the initial operation is started,the electric power is applied to the refrigerator 1 [S110]. When theelectric power is applied, it is determined whether the first hallsensor 741 is in the ON state [S120]. When the first hall sensor 741 isin the ON state, a normal operation may be performed at an initial statein which the push rod 77 is completely inserted. Therefore, when thefirst hall sensor 741 is in the ON state, the driving motor 73 is notoperated, and the refrigerator 1 enters the standby operation state[S130].

When the first hall sensor 741 is not in the ON state, the push rod 77is not located at an initial position, and thus the driving motor 73 isreversely rotated so that the first hall sensor 741 is in the ON state[S140].

Meanwhile, in a state in which the driving motor 73 starts to bereversely rotated, if the first hall sensor 741 is not in the ON stateeven when the preset time (e.g., 5 seconds) passes, it is determinedthat the door opening device 70 is abnormal [S150], and the drivingmotor 73 is stopped, and an error signal is generated [S160]. To enablethe user to confirm generation of the error signal, the display unit 60codes a current state, and then outputs an error code [S170].

FIG. 36 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating the standby operationof the door opening device.

As illustrated in the drawing, when the standby operation is started,first it is determined through the reed switch 4011 whether the maindoor 40 is in a closed state. While the reed switch 4011 is switched on,the main door 40 may be automatically opened. However, while the reedswitch 4011 is switched off, the main door 40 is opened, and thus thedoor opening device 70 is not operated [S210].

In a state in which the reed switch 4011 is in the ON state, the seconddetection device 81 first detects the user's approach. At this point,the second detection device 81 is located at a height of about 1 m fromthe ground, and the detection distance may be within a range of about 1m from the front surface of the refrigerator 1 [S220].

When the second detection device 81 is turned on, the projector 91 isalso turned on, and the light is emitted from the LED 9111, and thus theimage is projected to the lower side of the inclined surface 35.Therefore, the user may confirm the characters indicated on the floorsurface located at a front of the freezer compartment door 30, and maymove his/her foot to a position of the characters in a state in whichhis/her hands cannot be used [S230].

At this point, since the area of the image projected on the floorsurface is within the detection distance of the first detection device92, when the user's foot is located at the position of the characters,the first detection device 92 may detect the user's foot. The firstdetection device 92 is maintained in a detecting state for a presettime, and when the preset time passes [S240], the detecting state isreleased, and the projector 91 is also turned off [S280].

When the user's foot is located at the area of the characters, and thefirst detection device 92 detects the user's foot [S250], the maincontrol part 2 inputs an opening signal of the main door 40 [S260]. Themain door 40 performs the opening operation by inputting of the openingsignal of the main door 40 [S270].

FIG. 37 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating the opening operationof the door opening device. And FIG. 38 is a view illustrating a dutychange according to an FG pulse count during the opening operation.

As illustrated in the drawings, when the opening operation is started,the driving motor 73 is normally rotated [S310]. Movement of the pushrod 77 which is located at the initial position is started by normalrotation of the driving motor 73. That is, while the first hall sensor741 is in the ON state, the driving motor 73 is normally rotated untilwhen the second hall sensor 742 is in the ON state by the movement ofthe push rod 77 [S310].

The push rod 77 may protrude by the normal rotation of the driving motor73, and may push the cabinet 10 so that the main door 40 is opened. Andthe driving motor 73 may be controlled to be driven while reducing duty.That is, when the driving motor 73 is driving at the same speed, themain door 40 may be rolled by inertia at a moment when the opening ofthe main door 40 is completed and then the main door 40 is stopped.However, when a speed of the driving motor 73 is reduced before theopening of the main door 40 is completed, rolling of the main door 40 ata moment when the opening of the main door 40 is completed may bereduced.

As illustrated in FIG. 38, the driving motor 73 may be driven with aduty of 200 at a first opening section O1 in which the FG is 270. Andthe driving motor 73 may be driven with a duty of 170 at a secondopening section O2 in which the FG is 300. And the driving motor 73 maybe driven with a duty of 135 at a third opening section O3 in which theFG is 325. And the driving motor 73 may be driven with a duty of 100 ata last fourth opening section O4 in which the FG is 340.

Like this, at an early stage in which the main door 40 is opened, thedriving motor 73 may be rotated at the highest speed, and the opening ofthe main door 40 may be rapidly performed. As the opening of the maindoor 40 is being performed, the rotating speed of the driving motor 73is reduced in stages, and thus the rolling of the main door 40 may beprevented when the opening of the main door 40 is completed.

Meanwhile, in the case in which the second hall sensor 742 is not turnedon even when the preset time (e.g., 5 seconds) passes after the normalrotation of the driving motor 73 is started, the door opening device 70is abnormal, and thus the error signal is generated, and thus acorresponding error code may be output through the display unit 60. Andsince the opening operation of the main door 40 may not be continuouslyperformed, the returning operation is started.

And in a state in which the preset time does not pass after the normalrotation of the driving motor 73 is started, the opening operation ofthe main door 40 is continuously performed [S330]. At this point, when aperson or an object is located at a front of the main door 40 which isclose to the main door 40, the main door 40 may be in a state which isnot opened.

That is, while the opening operation of the main door 40 is beingperformed, the opening of the main door 40 may be obstructed by anexternal factor [S340]. In such as state, the main door 40 may not berotated at a normal or preset rotating speed. Therefore, the maincontrol part 2 checks the FG counter of the driving motor 73, andoutputs the error code through the display unit 60 when the FG counterat each opening section is less than a preset number [S350]. And themain control part 2 determines that the opening of the main door 40 isobstructed, and performs the returning operation.

Therefore, an impact may be prevented from being exerted to the user bythe rotation of the main door 40, and the door opening device 70 mayalso be prevented from being broken by excessive driving of the dooropening device 70.

Meanwhile, when the push rod 77 is moved to a position at which thesecond hall sensor 742 is turned on, the stopping operation afteropening is started.

FIG. 39 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating the stopping operationafter opening of the door opening device.

As illustrated in the drawing, when the stopping operation after openingis started, the driving motor 73 is continuously maintained in thenormal rotation state. At this point, the driving motor 73 is operatedwhile maintaining a constant duty in a normal direction. At this point,the duty of the driving motor 73 is 12 at which the push rod 77 exerts aforce toward the main door 40 to just support the main door 40, suchthat the main door 40 is not pushed and closed, and does not furtheropen the main door 40 [S410].

The driving motor 73 is maintained in the normal rotation state for apreset time (e.g., 3 seconds), and when the preset time passes, thereturning operation is performed [S240].

And the user may push the main door 40 to close the opened main door 40before the preset time passes. Therefore, when an external force isapplied to the main door 40, the returning operation is performed toprotect the door opening device 70.

At this point, in determining whether the external force is applied tothe main door 40, when the FG of the driving motor 73 is 3 or more, andit is determined that the driving motor 73 is reversely rotated aboutone revolution, an external force detection signal is input to the maincontrol part 2. The main control part 2 starts the returning operationwhen the external force detection signal is input [S340].

FIG. 40 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating the returning operationof the door opening device. And FIG. 41 is a view illustrating a dutychange during the returning operation according to the FG pulse count.

When the door returning operation is started, first, the driving motor73 in the normal rotation state is stopped suddenly (e.g., for 10 msec)[S510]. After the driving motor 73 is stopped, the driving motor 73 isreversely rotated to return the push rod 77 [S520].

The refrigerator compartment door 20 including the main door 40 may havethe French door structure. When the refrigerator compartment door 20 isclosed, resistance is generated by an influence of a filler which sealsbetween the main door 40 and the refrigerator compartment door 20 whenthe main door 40 is closed.

Therefore, to prevent the main door 40 from being not completely closedby the filler when the main door 40 is closed, the main door 40 isclosed at a high speed. And also to prevent a shock and a noisegenerated when the main door 40 is closed, the rotating speed is reducedat the moment.

As illustrated in FIG. 41, in a state in which the opening of the maindoor 40 is completed, the FG of the driving motor is 340. The drivingmotor 73 is driven with a duty of 200 at a first closing section C1 inwhich the FG is 70. And the driving motor 73 is driven with a duty of180 at a second closing section C2 in which the FG is 45. And drivingmotor 73 is driven with a duty of 140 at a third closing section C3 inwhich the FG is 25. And driving motor 73 is driven with a duty of 100 ata last fourth closing section C4 in which the FG is 0.

The push rod 77 is moved by reverse rotation of the driving motor 73,and the second hall sensor 742 is turned off, and the driving motor 73is reversely rotated until the first hall sensor 741 is turned on. Andwhen the first hall sensor 741 is turned on, and it is confirmed thatthe push rod 77 is returned to the initial position [S530], the drivingmotor 73 is stopped, and enters the standby operation state [S540].

Meanwhile, in the case in which the first hall sensor 741 is not in theON state even when the driving motor 73 is reversely rotated for apreset time (e.g., 5 seconds) or more [S550], the door opening device 70is abnormal, and thus the error signal is output. And the error code isdisplayed through the display unit 60, and it is returned to the standbyoperation [S560].

FIG. 42 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating the emergency returningoperation of the door opening device. And FIG. 43 is a view illustratinga duty change according to the FG pulse count during the emergencyreturning operation.

The door opening device 70 may emergently return the push rod 77 toprotect the door opening device 70.

During the opening operation, or the stopping operation after opening,or the returning operation, the user may further open the main door 40.The user may open the main door 40 under the necessity, and then mayalso close the main door 40 under the necessity. At this point, when themain door 40 is rotated at a high speed, the push rod 77 may collidewith the main door 40 before the push rod 77 is returned to the initialposition. When the push rod 77 and the main door 40 collide with eachother at a high speed, the push rod 77 or the door opening device 70 maybe damaged.

Therefore, when the reed switch 4011 is switched off during the openingoperation, or the stopping operation after opening, or the returningoperation, it is determined that the main door 40 is further opened bythe user, and the emergency returning operation in which the push rod 77is rapidly returned is performed.

As illustrated in the drawings, when the emergency returning operationis started, first it is determined whether the driving motor 73 is inthe normal rotation state [S610]. When the driving motor 73 is in thenormal rotation state, the driving motor 73 in the normal rotation stateis stopped suddenly (e.g., for 10 msec) [S620]. After the driving motor73 is stopped, the driving motor 73 is reversely rotated to return thepush rod 77 [S630]. Meanwhile, when the driving motor 73 is not in thenormal rotation state, the driving motor 73 is reversely rotated. At thesame time when the reverse rotation is started, the driving motor 73 isdriven with a duty of 220 which is greater than that in the returningoperation. The rotating speed of the driving motor 73 is maintained justbefore the main door 40 is closed, and thus the main door 40 is rapidlyclosed. At a section, in which the FG is 25, just before the main door40 is closed, the duty of the driving motor 73 is reduced to 100, andthus the shock at a moment when the main door 40 is closed may bereduced.

The push rod 77 is moved by the reverse rotation of the driving motor73, and the second hall sensor 742 is turned off, and the driving motor73 is reversely rotated until the first hall sensor 741 is turned on[S640]. And when the first hall sensor 741 is turned on, and it isconfirmed that the push rod 77 is returned to the initial position, thedriving motor 73 is stopped, and enters the standby operation state[S650].

Meanwhile, in the case in which the first hall sensor 741 is not in theON state even when the driving motor 73 is reversely rotated for apreset time (e.g., 5 seconds) or more [S660], the door opening device 70is abnormal, and thus the error signal is output. And the error code isdisplayed through the display unit 60, and it is returned to the standbyoperation [S670].

In the control method of the refrigerator 1 according to the proposedimplementation, the following effects may be expected.

In the refrigerator according to the implementation of the presentdisclosure, even when the user is holding the object in both hands, thedoor opening device is driven through detection of the sensing assemblyprovided at the door, and the door is automatically opened, and thususer convenience can be enhanced.

And the door opening device enables the door to be opened, such that atleast a user's body, e.g., the elbow is put therein, and opens the door,and thus the user can put a part of his/her body in the open gap, andcan easily further open the door. Therefore, since the user cancompletely open the door without use of both hands, the user conveniencecan be further enhanced.

In particular, when one pair of doors are disposed in parallel, adistance between the rear surface of the automatically opened door andthe front surface of the closed door can be sufficiently provided, andthus the additional opening can be easily performed.

And the driving motor which provides power for the movement of the pushrod is provided at the door opening device, and the driving motor cancontrol the speed using the FG count, and thus the inserting andwithdrawing speed of the push rod can be controlled. Therefore, openingand closing speed of the door can be controlled, and the rolling of thedoor is prevented when the door is opened and closed, and thus openingand closing performance of the door can be enhanced.

Also, in an abnormal state, returning or emergency returning of the pushrod is allowed, and the shock or the damage of the door opening deviceupon the opening and closing of the door can be prevented, and thussafety can be enhanced.

And even when the automatic opening of the door is completed, therotation of the driving motor is maintained at a constant speed in thedirection in which the door is opened, and the door is prevented frombeing closed by its own weight, and a sufficient period of time forperforming an additional operation is provided to the user, and thus theuser convenience can be enhanced.

And when an abnormal state occurs while the door is being opened andclosed, the error indication is output through the display unit so thatthe user easily recognizes the abnormal state. Also, the error state iscoded and indicated through the display unit so as to enable the user toeasily recognize the error state and to take appropriate follow-upmeasures, and thus the user convenience can be enhanced.

Meanwhile, the refrigerator according to the present disclosure maypossible in various other implementations in addition to the abovedescribed implementations. Hereinafter, describing the otherimplementations of the present disclosure.

Other implementations of the present disclosure may have a differentstructure of a door opening device and various different arrangements ofthe first detection device and the second detection device. Among theconfiguration of other implementations of the present disclosure, usingsame reference number and omitting the detailed description about theconfigurations which is same with the described implementation.

FIG. 44 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to a secondimplementation, FIG. 45 is a lateral view of the refrigerator shown inFIG. 44, and FIG. 46 is a block diagram of the refrigerator according tothe second implementation.

With reference to FIGS. 44 to 46, a refrigerator 1, according to asecond implementation may include a cabinet 10 provided with a storagespace therein, and a door coupled to a front surface of the cabinet 10in a rotatable or a slidable manner to selectively open and close thestorage space.

In particular, the storage space may include one or more compartments ofa refrigerator compartment 12 and a freezer compartment 13.

The refrigerator compartment 12 may be opened and closed by arefrigerator compartment door 20, and the freezer compartment 13 may beselectively opened and closed by a freezer compartment door 30.

Also, if a refrigerator compartment door 20 for opening and closing therefrigerator compartment 12 is a rotary-type door, the refrigeratorcompartment door 20 may be a pair of French-style doors 203 and 204which are rotatably connected to a front left edge and a front rightedge of the cabinet 10.

Further, at least one of the pair of French-style doors 203 and 204 mayinclude a first door 201 contacting tightly to the front surface of thecabinet 10, and a second door 202 connected rotatably to the first door201 at a front surface thereof.

If a freezer compartment door 30 for opening and closing the freezercompartment 13 is a rotary-type door, the freezer compartment door 30may be a pair of French-style doors 301 and 302 which are rotatablyconnected to the front left edge and the front right edge of the cabinet10.

Furthermore, if the freezer compartment door 30 is a drawer-type doorfor opening and closing the freezer compartment 13 in a sliding manner,a plurality of freezer compartment doors may be arranged in upward anddownward directions or in left and right directions.

The refrigerator 1 may further include a second detection device 81capable of detecting a person.

The refrigerator 1 may further include a sensing assembly 90 forprojecting an optical pattern on a bottom surface at which therefrigerator 1 is placed w 91 hen the second detection device 81 detectsa person. The sensing assembly 90 may include a first detection device92. Alternatively, the first detection device 92 may be provided as aunit separated from the sensing assembly 90.

The refrigerator 1 may further include a door opening device 70′ foropening doors of the refrigerator, and a main control part 2 forcontrolling door opening device 70′ and the sensing assembly 90.

Hereinafter, an example in which the door opening device 70′automatically opens the second door 202 of the doors of the refrigeratorwill be described, and door opening device 70′ may be arranged at a doorof the refrigerator to which an opening is required.

However, in the present disclosure, a position of the door openingdevice 70′ is not limited to the door of the refrigerator, and thus itmay be possible to arrange the door opening device 70′ at the cabinet10.

The second detection device 81 detects an approach of a person to therefrigerator 1, or a position of the person in front of the refrigerator1.

At this point, it may be preferable that the second detection device 81detect a person's intent to approach the refrigerator 1 for opening thedoor of the refrigerator 1, or to position in front of the refrigerator1.

In general, a door of a refrigerator may be opened by adults and it maybe preferable to prevent the door of the refrigerator from being openedunintentionally by children.

Therefore, in order to exactly detect an adult's intent to open the doorof the refrigerator, the second detection device 81 should be positionedat a predetermined height H1 from the bottom surface at which therefrigerator 1 is placed.

The height H1 of the second detection device 81 may be equal to orgreater than one-half of a height H2 of the refrigerator 1 (or thecabinet 10), but it is not limited thereto.

As an example, the second detection device 81 may be arranged at therefrigerator compartment door 20. FIG. 44 illustrates the seconddetection device 81 arranged at the second door 202, for example.

If the second detection device 81 is arranged at the second door 202,the second detection device 81 may detect a person of a predeterminedheight when approaching the refrigerator 1. Therefore, it may bepossible to prevent the second detection device 81 from detectingchildren or animals in house.

The second detection device 81 may be a capacitive sensor or anon-capacitive sensor for detecting presence of a person.

The capacitive sensor may be an electrode or a set of electrodes whichare arranged on a body frame of a vehicle in a suitable manner so as togenerate an electromagnetic field forming a detection zone.

In particular, the electrode (or electrodes) may be mounted on anopening panel to be opened so as to generate a detection zone having awider angle. Therefore, when a person is approaching the refrigerator 1,detection across a wider approach angle may be performed. In otherwords, there is no need for a person to substantially face thecapacitive sensor (or sensors) so as to be detected by the sensor.

The detection may be performed when a part, for example, a hand, a head,or other part of a person is entering the detection zone to changeelectromagnetic field.

The non-capacitive sensor may be an optical sensor including a lamprelated to an optical transistor and the like, and there is nolimitation to kinds of the optical sensors.

The sensing assembly 90 may be positioned at a height equal to or lowerthan the height H1 of the second detection device 81, but it is notlimited thereto.

As an example, the sensing assembly 90 may be arranged at the freezercompartment door 30. An inclined surface 35 may be provided at a lowerside of the freezer compartment door 30. With the inclined surface 35, aspace where a foot of a person is placed may be formed between theinclined surface 35 and the bottom surface. As another example, eventhough a lower surface of the freezer compartment door 30 is a flatsurface in parallel with the bottom surface, or a distance between thelower surface of the freezer compartment door 30 and the bottom surfaceis greater than a thickness of a foot of a person, a space where thefoot of the person is placed may be formed at a lower portion of thefreezer compartment door 30.

The sensing assembly 90 may be provided on the inclined surface 35.Otherwise, when the sensing assembly 90 has been provided at the freezercompartment door 30, the optical pattern irradiated from the sensingassembly 90 may penetrate the inclined surface 35.

FIG. 47 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator compartment dooraccording to the second implementation.

As described above in detail, with reference to FIG. 47, therefrigerator compartment door 20 may include the first door 201 and thesecond door 202.

The first door 201 may include an opening 2011 for loading andretrieving food and drink, and the second door 202 may open and closethe opening 2011.

A housing 2012 forming a space for storing food and drink may be coupledto the first door 201. An inner space of the housing 2012 may becommunicated with the refrigerator compartment 12.

One or more baskets 2013 for storing food and drink may be provided atthe housing 2012.

The door opening device 70′ may be positioned inside the second door202. The door opening device 70′ may include a case 72′.

The door opening device 70′ may include a driving motor 73′ accommodatedin the frame 72′, a push road 77′ configured to be operated by receivingpower of the driving motor 73′, and a power transmission fortransmitting the power of the driving motor 73′ to the push road 77′,but any configuration may be applicable to the door opening device 70′according to the present disclosure without limitation thereto.

The power transmission may include a worm gear 732′ rotated by thedriving motor 73′, and one or more pinion gears 751′, 752′, and 753′connected to the worm gear 732′ to transmit the power of the drivingmotor 73′ to the push road 77′.

The push road 77′ may include a rack gear 771′ capable of being inengagement with the one or more pinion gears 751′, 752′ and 753′.Therefore, upon activation of the driving motor 73′, the push road 77′may perform a rectilinear movement.

When performing a rectilinear movement toward the first door 201, thepush road 77′ contacts to and pushes at the first door 201 and thus thesecond door 202 is spaced apart from the first door 201 by a pushingforce applied from the push rod 77′ to the first door 201, such that thesecond door 202 may be automatically opened.

After completing the door opening, the push rod 77′ may be returned toan original position by an operation of the driving motor 73′. If thedriving motor 73′ is a motor, for example, the motor may rotate in onedirection so as to open the second door 202 and then may rotate in areverse direction so as to return the push rod 77′ to the originalposition thereof.

Hereinafter, an opening method of the door of the refrigerator will bedescribed.

FIG. 48 is a flowchart illustrating the opening method of the door ofthe refrigerator according to the second implementation, FIG. 49 is aview illustrating a state in which a person holding food and drink inboth hands is approaching the refrigerator 1, FIG. 50 is a viewillustrating the foot of a person positioned at an upward portion of avirtual switch, and FIG. 51 is a view illustrating an opening state ofthe second door 202 according to the second implementation.

With reference to FIGS. 46 and 48 to 51, the opening method of the doorof the refrigerator may include Step S1 in which the second detectiondevice 81 detects a person, Step S2 in which the sensing assembly 90projects the optical pattern on the bottom surface at which therefrigerator 1 is placed, Step S3 for determining whether or not thefirst detection device 92 detects a door opening signal before areference time passes from a time when the second detection device 81detects the person, and Step S4 in which the door opening device 70′opens the door of the refrigerator if the first detection device 92detects the door opening signal.

Step S2 may be performed immediately when the second detection device 81detects a person in Step S1, or may be performed when the seconddetection device 81 detects the person and then the detection time isaccumulated during a predetermined time interval.

Also, Step S3 may be substituted with Step in which the first detectiondevice 92 detects the door opening signal before the reference timepasses from the time when the sensing assembly 90 projects the opticalpattern.

In Step S3, the main control part 2 may determine whether or not thedoor opening signal is detected.

An optical pattern T projected from the sensing assembly 90 may be in anarbitrary shape including a wide circle, an arrow representing a footmovement direction, a cross shape, or the like.

The optical pattern T may have one shape or multiple shapes, forexample, a set of circles or arrows. Otherwise, the optical pattern Tmay include a text message. The text message may include “Open Door”,but it is not limited thereto.

The optical pattern T may have an arbitrary color, especially, adiscriminative color including a green, a red, or a white color againstthe bottom surface, but it is not limited thereto. For example, the textmessage may read “Open,” “Auto Door,” or the like.

The sensing assembly 90 may include a laser and/or one or more diodes soas to generate light beams forming the optical pattern T.

The optical pattern T projected on the bottom surface may serve as thevirtual switch. A person intending to automatically open therefrigerator door may place the foot at an upward portion of the virtualswitch, or may move the foot in a predetermined manner at the upwardportion thereof.

In order to prevent the virtual switch from being occluded by objects oranimals besides a person, at least portions of the virtual switch may bearranged to be superposed with one or more doors of the refrigerator inupward and downward directions.

That is, at least a portion of the virtual switch may be positioned atthe lower portion of the freezer compartment door 30. As shown in FIG.49, at least a portion of the virtual switch is positioned at a lowerportion of the inclined surface 35 such that the virtual switch may beoccluded by placing the foot of a person between the inclined surface 35and the bottom surface. As illustrated, the projected image may bepositioned rearward of the front surface of the refrigerator. In somecases, a portion of the projected image may be positioned rearward ofthe front surface of the refrigerator.

In this case, it may possible to prevent the virtual switch from beingoccluded by the objects, the animals, or the like besides the foot of aperson.

The door opening signal detected by the first detection device 92 may beimplemented by a position of the foot of a person on the virtual switch,or a movement of the foot of the person at the upward portion of thevirtual switch in a predetermined manner, for example.

The first detection device 92 may include one or more optical sensorsconfigured to detect optical variation caused by an occlusion of thevirtual switch.

The optical sensor may determine whether or not an object occluding theoptical pattern T has a foot shape on the basis of a predetermined sizeand a predetermined geometric shape.

It may be preferable to sustain the occlusion of the virtual switch bythe foot of a person during a predetermined reference time interval.

This is because of preventing the door of the refrigerator from beingopened due to an occlusion of the virtual switch by objects, a foot ofanother person, or animals besides a person before a person intending toopen the door of the refrigerator places the foot at the upward portionof the virtual switch.

Meanwhile, the predetermined manner may include a movement direction, asize, and/or a set of geographical shapes of the foot, and an occlusiontime interval of the optical pattern T by the foot.

When the first detection device 92 detects a movement direction of thefoot of a person, a guide means for guiding the movement direction ofthe foot of a person may be displayed on the virtual switch.

The guide means may be an arbitrary shape or a text message centering onthe virtual switch so as to define a movement direction for the foot ofa person. As an example, the guide means may be an arc centering on thevirtual switch.

In order to open the door of the refrigerator, the second detectiondevice 81 should be continuously detecting a person when the firstdetection device 92 detects the door opening signal. In other words, ifthe first detection device 92 detects the door opening signal while thesecond detection device 81 is continuously detecting a person, the doorof the refrigerator may be opened.

This is because of preventing the door of the refrigerator from beingopened due to an occlusion of the virtual switch by objects, a foot ofanother person, or animals besides a person in spite of not intending toopen the door of the refrigerator when the person temporarily approachesthe refrigerator 1 and immediately is away therefrom.

Therefore, in accordance with the present implementation, opening thedoor of the refrigerator may be prevented when a person not intending toopen the door of the refrigerator approaches the refrigerator 1.

If the determination result in Step S3 is that the first detectiondevice 92 does not detect the door opening signal until the referencetime has passed from the time when the second detection device 81detects a person, projection of the optical pattern T from the sensingassembly may be terminated (S5).

Otherwise, if the second detection device 81 detected a person and thendoes not detect the person before the reference time passes while theoptical pattern T is being projected from the sensing assembly 90, theprojection of the optical pattern T from the sensing assembly 90 may beterminated.

Illustratively, before the projection termination of the sensingassembly 90, a shape or a color of the optical pattern T may be changedor the virtual switch may flicker. This serves to call a personattention to placing the foot on the virtual switch.

FIG. 52 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to a thirdimplementation.

The present implementation is the same as the second implementationexcept a number of sensing assemblies and positions thereof. Therefore,only features of the present implementation will be described below.

With reference to FIG. 52, in the refrigerator 1 according to thepresent implementation, the second detection device 81 may be arrangedat one of the two refrigerator compartment doors 203 and 204, andsensing assemblies 90 a and 90 b may be respectively arranged at the twofreezer compartment doors 301 and 302.

That is, the first sensing assembly 90 a may be arranged at the leftfreezer compartment door 301, and the second sensing assembly 90 b maybe arranged at the right freezer compartment door 302.

In some cases, the door opening device 70′ may be arranged at each ofthe two refrigerator compartment doors 203 and 204.

When a person approaches the refrigerator 1 to be detected by the seconddetection device 81, the two sensing assemblies 90 a and 90 b mayrespectively project the optical pattern T.

Therefore, two virtual switches may be generated on the bottom surface,and a person may place the foot at the upward portion of one of the twovirtual switches corresponding to one of the refrigerator compartmentdoors 203 and 204 to be opened.

And then, one of the refrigerator compartment doors 203 and 204corresponding to the virtual switch at which the foot is being placedmay be opened by the door opening device 70′.

In the present implementation, in order to allow a person to select oneof the refrigerator compartment doors 203 and 204 to be opened using thesecond detection device 81, the first sensing assembly 90 a arranged atthe left freezer compartment door 301 may be positioned adjacent to theright freezer compartment door 302, and the second sensing assembly 90 barranged at the right freezer compartment door 302 may be positionedadjacent to the left freezer compartment door 301.

As an example, the first sensing assembly 90 a may be positioned at aside adjacent to the right freezer compartment door 302 from the leftfreezer compartment door 301 on the basis of an imaginary line L1bisecting the left freezer compartment door 301 in left and rightdirections.

Similarly, the second sensing assembly 90 b may be positioned at a sideadjacent to the left freezer compartment door 301 from the right freezercompartment door 302 on the basis of an imaginary line L2 bisecting theright freezer compartment door 302 in the left and right directions.

Therefore, a distance between the first sensing assembly 90 a and thesecond sensing assembly 90 b may be shorter than left and right lengthsof the freezer compartment doors 301 and 302.

In general, the foot of a person may be placed at the upward portion ofone of the two virtual switches, but the two refrigerator compartmentdoors 203 and 204 may be opened together when a left foot of the personis placed at the upward portion of one of the two virtual switches and aright foot of the person is placed at the upward portion of the othervirtual switch.

Also, if the reference time described in FIG. 48 does not pass, the tworefrigerator compartment doors 203 and 204 may be sequentially opened byplacing one of the feet at the upward portion of one of the virtualswitch and then the other foot at the upward portion of the othervirtual switch.

Although opening the two refrigerator compartment doors 203 and 204 bythe door opening device 70′ is described in FIG. 52, opening the twofreezer compartment doors 301 and 302 by the door opening device 70′ mayalso be possible.

Otherwise described in FIG. 52, if a plurality of freezer compartmentdoors are arranged in upward and downward directions, multiple sensingassemblies may be provided at ones, which are arranged at a lower side,among the plurality of freezer compartment doors.

In this case, when the foot is placed at an upward portion of a virtualswitch corresponding to one of the multiple sensing assemblies, afreezer compartment door or a refrigerator compartment door, whichcorresponds to the virtual switch at which the foot is placed, may beopened.

FIG. 53 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to a fourthimplementation.

The present implementation is the same as the second implementationexcept a number of sensing assemblies and positions thereof. Therefore,only features of the present disclosure will be described below.

With reference to FIG. 53, in the refrigerator 1 according to thepresent implementation, the second detection device 81 may be arrangedat one of the two refrigerator compartment doors 203 and 204, andsensing assemblies 90 c and 90 d may be arranged at the two freezercompartment doors 301 and 302, respectively.

The third sensing assembly 90 c may be arranged at the left freezercompartment door 301, and the fourth sensing assembly 90 d may bearranged at the right freezer compartment door 302.

One or more units of the third sensing assembly 90 c and the fourthsensing assembly 90 d may project a plurality of optical patterns. Inother words, two or more virtual switches may be generated by onesensing assembly.

A plurality of optical switches may be used to select a door to beopened. For example, when the foot is placed at an upward portion of afirst virtual switch of two virtual switches generated by the fourthsensing assembly 90 d, the right refrigerator compartment door 203 maybe opened, whereas the right freezer compartment door 302 may be openedwhen the foot is placed at an upward portion of a second virtual switchof the two virtual switches.

Also, when the foot is placed at an upward portion of a first virtualswitch of two virtual switches generated by the third sensing assembly90 c, the left refrigerator compartment door 204 may be opened, whereasthe left freezer compartment door 301 may be opened when the foot isplaced at an upward portion of a second virtual switch of the twovirtual switches.

At this point, in order to allow a person to easily select a door to beopened after the person verifies the plurality of virtual switches, eachof the virtual switches may include a text message. The text message maybe “upper” and “lower”, but it is not limited thereto.

According to the present implementation, there may be advantages capableof opening all doors and allowing a person to easily select a door to beopened.

Otherwise described in FIG. 53, a number of sensing assemblies the sameas a number of doors to be automatically opened may be provided at thefreezer compartment doors 301 and 302. As an example shown in FIG. 53,when the refrigerator 1 includes four doors, four sensing assemblies maybe provided.

As another example, one sensing assembly projects one optical pattern,but a door to be opened may be selected depending on a pattern (anocclusion pattern of a virtual switch) of a foot movement.

For example, a refrigerator compartment door at an upper side may beselected by a pattern of a foot movement from right to left, and afreezer compartment door at a lower side may be selected by a pattern ofa foot movement from left to right.

FIG. 54 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to a fifthimplementation.

The present implementation is the same as the second implementationexcept a type of a refrigerator. Therefore, only features of the presentimplementation will be described below.

With reference to FIG. 54, a refrigerator 1 a according to the presentimplementation may be a side-by-side type refrigerator, for example. Inother words, the freezer compartment door 30 and the refrigeratorcompartment door 20 may be arranged at the refrigerator 1 a in left andright directions.

The second detection device 81 may be arranged at one of therefrigerator compartment door 20 and the freezer compartment door 30.

As described in the second implementation, the second detection device81 may be arranged at a position equal to or greater than one-half of aheight of the refrigerator 1 a.

The first sensing assembly 90 a may be arranged at the freezercompartment door 30 and the second sensing assembly 90 b may be arrangedat the refrigerator compartment door 20.

Therefore, when the second detection device 81 detects a person, the twosensing assemblies 90 a and 90 b may project optical patterns,respectively.

In the present implementation, each of the freezer compartment door 30and the refrigerator compartment door 20 may be automatically opened.

Therefore, two virtual switches may be generated on the bottom surface,and thus a person may place the foot at an upward portion of one, whichcorresponds to a door to be opened, of the two virtual switches.

And then, the freezer compartment door 30 or the refrigeratorcompartment door 20, which corresponds to the virtual switch at whichthe foot is placed, may be automatically opened by the door openingdevice 70′.

Of course, it may be possible to open only one of the freezercompartment door 30 and the refrigerator compartment door 20. In thiscase, the second detection device 81 and the sensing assembly may bearranged at a door to be automatically opened.

FIG. 55 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to a sixthimplementation.

The present implementation is the same as the fifth implementationexcept a number of the second detection devices 81. Therefore, onlyfeatures of the present implementation will be described below.

With reference to FIG. 55, in the refrigerator 1 a according to thepresent implementation, the second detection device 81 may be arrangedat each of the freezer compartment door 30 and the refrigeratorcompartment door 20.

And, the first sensing assembly 90 a may be provided at the freezercompartment door 30, and the second sensing assembly 90 b may beprovided at the refrigerator compartment door 20.

Therefore, in order to open the freezer compartment door 30, a personmay position in front of the freezer compartment door 30. In this case,the second detection device 81 provided at the freezer compartment door30 may detect the person, and then the first sensing assembly 90 a mayproject an optical pattern.

On the other hand, in order to open the refrigerator compartment door20, a person may position in front of the refrigerator compartment door20. In this case, the second detection device 81 provided at therefrigerator compartment door 20 may detect the person, and then thesecond sensing assembly 90 b may project an optical pattern.

In order not to simultaneously detect a person by the second detectiondevice 81 arranged at each of the refrigerator compartment door 20 andthe freezer compartment door 30 a separation distance of the two seconddetection devices 81 should be secured by a predetermined distance. Asan example, the separation distance may be set to a distance greaterthan a width of an ordinary person in left and right directions.

Alternatively, when one of the two second detection devices 81 detects aperson and then the other sensor also detects a person, informationdetected by the other sensor may be disregarded.

FIG. 56 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to a seventhimplementation.

The present implementation is the same as the fifth implementationexcept a shape of a refrigerator compartment door. Therefore, onlyfeatures of the present implementation will be described below.

With reference to FIG. 56, in a refrigerator 1 b according to thepresent implementation, the refrigerator compartment door 20 may includea home bar door 205 (or an auxiliary door). Alternatively, therefrigerator compartment door 20 may include a first door and a seconddoor serving as a home bar door.

The second detection device 81 may be arranged at the home bar door 205,but it is not limited thereto.

In the present implementation, the refrigerator compartment door 20, thefreezer compartment door 30, and the home bar door 205 may beautomatically opened.

The first sensing assembly 90 a may be arranged at the freezercompartment door 30, and the third sensing assembly 90 c may be arrangedat the refrigerator compartment door 20.

The third sensing assembly 90 c may project two optical patterns so asto allow a person to select one to be opened of the refrigeratorcompartment door 20 and the home bar door 205. Therefore, two virtualswitches may be generated on the bottom surface.

In order to allow a person to verify the two virtual switches and toeasily select a door to be opened, each of the two virtual switches mayinclude a text message. The text message may be “Home Bar Door” and“Refrigerator compartment Door”, but it is not limited thereto.

When the second detection device 81 detects a person, the first sensingassembly 90 a may project an optical pattern and the third sensingassembly 90 c may project two optical patterns.

That is, three virtual switches may be generated on the bottom surface,and thus a person may place the foot at an upward portion of one amongthe three virtual switches.

As an example, although a length of the home bar door 205 in upward anddownward directions is shorter than that of the refrigerator compartmentdoor 20 as shown in FIG. 56, the explanation described in FIG. 55 may beidentically applicable when the length of the home bar door 205 is thesame as that of the refrigerator compartment door 20.

In this case, however, the third sensing assembly 90 c may be arrangedat the home bar door 205.

Also, even though the freezer compartment door 30 includes the home bardoor 205, the freezer compartment door 30 or the home bar door 205 maybe automatically opened as described above.

FIG. 57 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to an eighthimplementation.

The present implementation is the same as the seventh implementationexcept a number of the second detection devices. Therefore, onlyfeatures of the present implementation will be described below.

With reference to FIG. 57, in the refrigerator 1 b according to thepresent implementation, the refrigerator compartment door 20 may includethe home bar door 205 (or an auxiliary door). The second detectiondevice 81 may be arranged at the home bar door 205, but it is notlimited thereto. Also, the second detection device 81 may be arranged atthe freezer compartment door 30.

The first sensing assembly 90 a may be arranged at the freezercompartment door 30, and the second sensing assembly 90 b may bearranged at the refrigerator compartment door 20.

The second sensing assembly 90 b may project two optical patterns so asto allow a person to select one to be opened of the refrigeratorcompartment door 20 and the home bar door 205. Therefore, two virtualswitches may be generated on the bottom surface.

Therefore, when opening the freezer compartment door 30, a person mayposition in front of the freezer compartment door 30. In this case, thesecond detection device 81 provided at the freezer compartment door 30may detect the person and the first sensing assembly 90 a may project anoptical pattern.

On the other hand, when opening the refrigerator compartment door 20 orthe home bar door 205, a person may position in front of therefrigerator compartment door 20. In this case, the second detectiondevice 81 provided at the refrigerator compartment door 20 or the homebar door 205 may detect the person and the second sensing assembly 90 bmay project two optical patterns.

A person may place the foot at an upward portion of one of two virtualswitches, and thus the home bar door 205 or the refrigerator compartmentdoor 20 may be automatically opened.

FIG. 58 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to a ninthimplementation.

The present implementation is the same as the second implementationexcept a type of a refrigerator. Therefore, only features of the presentimplementation will be described below.

With reference to FIG. 58, a refrigerator 1 c according to the presentimplementation may be a top mount type refrigerator, for example. Thatis, in the refrigerator 1 c, the freezer compartment door 30 and therefrigerator compartment door 20 may be arranged in upward and downwarddirections, and the refrigerator compartment door 20 may be positionedat a downward portion of the freezer compartment door 30.

In the present implementation, each of the freezer compartment door 30and the refrigerator compartment door 20 may be automatically opened,but they are not limited thereto.

The second detection device 81 may be arranged at the freezercompartment door 30, and a sensing assembly 90 e may be provided at therefrigerator compartment door 20.

At this point, in order to allow a person to select one to be opened ofthe freezer compartment door 30 and the refrigerator compartment door20, the sensing assembly 90 e may project two optical patterns.

FIG. 59 is a view illustrating a refrigerator according to a tenthimplementation.

The present implementation is the same as the ninth implementationexcept a type of a refrigerator. Therefore, only features of the presentimplementation will be described below.

With reference to FIG. 59, in the refrigerator 1 c according to thepresent implementation, the second detection device 81 may be arrangedat the freezer compartment door 30, and the first sensing assembly 90 aand the second sensing assembly 90 b may be arranged at the refrigeratorcompartment door 20.

Therefore, when the second detection device 81 detects a person, thefirst and second sensing assemblies 90 a and 90 b may respectivelyproject an optical pattern.

Thus, two virtual switches may be generated on the bottom surface, and aperson may place the foot at an upward portion of one, which correspondsto a door to be opened, of the two virtual switches.

Thereafter, the freezer compartment door 30 or the refrigeratorcompartment door 20 corresponding to the virtual switch at which thefoot is placed may be automatically opened by the door opening device70′.

Of course, it may be possible to open only one of the freezercompartment door 30 and the refrigerator compartment door 20. In thiscase, the second detection device 81 is arranged at the freezercompartment door 30, the first and second sensing assemblies 90 a and 90b are arranged at the refrigerator compartment door 20, and the dooropening device 70′ may be arranged at the door to be opened or thecabinet.

In the aforementioned implementations, the examples of the refrigeratorsincluding a plurality of doors have been described, but one door may beautomatically opened when the refrigerator includes the one door.

In this case, the second detection device, a door opening device, and asensing assembly may be arranged at the one door. Alternatively, thedoor opening device may be arranged at a cabinet.

In some cases, the refrigerator disclosed herein may further include analarm for notifying an automatic opening of a door when the door isbeing opened automatically.

In accordance with the proposed disclosure, there may be an advantagecapable of opening a door to be opened without a manipulation of aperson.

In particular, when a person cannot afford to freely use both hands,there may be an advantage capable of automatically opening a door of arefrigerator without a door opening action.

Also, when a refrigerator includes a plurality of doors, there may beadvantage capable of easily selecting a door to be opened among theplurality of doors.

Although a few implementations of the present disclosure have been shownand described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatchanges may be made in these implementations without departing from theprinciples and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is definedin the claims and their equivalents.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to embodiments, use convenience is improved, thereby achievinghigh industrial applicability.

What is claimed is:
 1. A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet that definesa compartment; one or more doors configured to open and close thecompartment; a sensor assembly provided at at least one of the one ormore doors, the sensor assembly comprising: a projector configured toproject a predetermined image on a bottom surface on which therefrigerator is installed, and a detection device configured to detect adoor opening signal; and a door opening device configured to open theone or more doors based on the detection device detecting the dooropening signal.
 2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the sensingassembly comprises an integrated case that accommodates both of theprojector and the detection device therein.
 3. The refrigerator of claim1, wherein the projector is disposed vertically below the detectiondevice.
 4. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the one or more doorscomprise an inclined surface at which the sensor assembly is installed,and wherein the inclined surface is disposed at a lower end of the oneor more doors, is inclined with respect to the bottom surface, andextends toward the bottom surface.
 5. The refrigerator of claim 1,wherein the projector comprises a light emitting device (LED), a filmconfigured to transmit light emitted from the LED, and one or morelenses.
 6. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the detection device isconfigured to emit light to an area of the predetermined image definedon the bottom surface by the projector to thereby sense a user'spresence or movement in the area of the predetermined image.
 7. Therefrigerator of claim 6, wherein the detection device comprises a lightemitting part and a light receiving part.
 8. The refrigerator of claim7, wherein the light emitting part is disposed vertically above thelight receiving part.
 9. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the lightreceiving part is disposed between the light emitting part and theprojector.
 10. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the detection devicecomprises a barrier that divides the light emitting part and the lightreceiving part.
 11. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the sensingassembly comprises: a case defining an external appearance of thesensing assembly and an accommodation space that receives the projectorand the detection device; and a case cover that is made of a materialconfigured to transmit light and that covers an opening defined at afront surface of the case.
 12. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein thedetection device is a first detection device, and wherein therefrigerator further comprises a second detection device configured todetect a user's approach toward the refrigerator.
 13. The refrigeratorof claim 12, wherein the one or more doors comprise a detection deviceaccommodation part that receives the second detection device.
 14. Therefrigerator of claim 1, wherein the one or more doors comprise a firstdoor and a second door, and wherein the door opening device is providedat the first door, and the sensing assembly is provided at the seconddoor.
 15. The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the detection device isa first detection device, and wherein the refrigerator further comprisesa second detection device provided at the first door and configured todetect a user's approach toward the refrigerator.
 16. The refrigeratorof claim 1, wherein the one or more doors comprise a left door and aright door, and wherein both of the door opening device and the sensingassembly are provided at one of the left door or the right door.
 17. Therefrigerator of claim 1, wherein the predetermined image comprises atleast one virtual switch configured to operate at least one of the oneor more doors.
 18. The refrigerator of claim 17, wherein the at leastone virtual switch is defined at a position forward relative to a frontsurface of the one or more doors.
 19. The refrigerator of claim 1,wherein the predetermined image comprises a plurality of virtualswitches, each of the plurality of virtual switches being configured tooperate one of the one or more doors.
 20. The refrigerator of claim 19,wherein the plurality of virtual switches are spaced apart from eachother on the bottom surface.